Editorial

The growth of IDEAS

The International Defence Exhibition and Seminar will run till the 30th of this month

Editorial November 28, 2018

All defence industry players from across the globe have once again converged on Pakistan to showcase the latest technological innovations. And this is happening at the IDEAS i.e. the International Defence Exhibition and Seminar which, having been inaugurated by President Dr Arif Alvi in Karachi yesterday, will run till the 30^th of this month. In its 10^th edition this year, the biennial defence exhibition has, since its inception, grown exponentially in its outreach, participation and international attendance to an unmatched level.

This growth can be gauged from the fact that 522 local and foreign exhibitors from 50 countries of the world are taking part in the exhibition this year, as against just 55 exhibitors from 15 countries in its inaugural edition in the year 2000. In attendance at the exhibition this year are trade visitors and high-level delegations from the US, China, France, Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Russia, South Korea, Poland, Turkey, the UAE, Jordan and Ukraine. All these countries have set up their country pavilions at the Expo Centre. Various Pakistani companies are scheduled to showcase new inventions at the year’s event — IDEAS 2018.

Other highlights of the exhibition include an international seminar on emerging global and regional environment and the role of grey hybrid warfare therein. Renowned national and international experts are to present papers on the topic. Hundreds of high-level B2B and B2G meetings are also to take place between foreign delegates, government officials and participants. As the exhibition has always been a big draw with the general public too, the fourth day is exclusively reserved for them.

Introduced in the year 2000, IDEAS was conceived to act as a vehicle to promote Pakistan’s domestic arms manufacturing businesses alongside providing a stage for international vendors to offer solutions to the requirements of the country’s tri-services. The event has been a success on both counts.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2018.

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