KARACHI: The 11th edition of International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS)-2022 is scheduled from Nov 15 to 18 this year at the Karachi Expo Centre (KEC).

To discuss the preparations for this strategically important event, a steering committee meeting was arranged by the Defence Export Promotion Organisation (DEPO) at Karachi Expo Centre on Wednesday.

The defence exhibition, which was first held in 2000, is biennially organised by DEPO. But owing to the global pandemic and consequent restrictions it could not be held in 2020. Hence this time it is being held after a gap of four years.

The meeting was chaired by Karachi Corps Commander Lt Gen Muhammad Saeed and attended by senior representatives from federal ministries and various departments of the Sindh government, the armed forces, law enforcement agencies and Badar Expo Solutions, the event manager.

The meeting was aimed at bringing all stakeholders on one page for holding this major event of Pakistan at par with international standards.

The successful conduct of all editions of IDEAS is attributed to overwhelming support of government departments, armed forces of Pakistan, public/private defence industry, trade bodies and to the people of Karachi.

Lt Gen Saeed highlighted that hosting the 11th edition of IDEAS was a testimony to the country’s pledge for encouraging technological growth and exchange.

“The event will significantly contribute towards fostering and promoting Pakistan’s strategic relations with the international fraternity and will serve to achieve the shared objectives of global peace, stability and balance,” he said.

Since its inception, IDEAS has emerged as an international rendezvous of defence manufacturers, entrepreneurs, research and development specialist, financial experts and top level policy makers to promote cooperation, knowledge sharing and support ventures in the field of defence collaboration, a statement said, adding that IDEAS is the event that brings together the global defence industry for synergistic businesses and cooperation.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2022