Daily Times

KARACHI: The 10th edition of International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS’18) will kick off on Tuesday at Karachi Expo Center.

Reportedly, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan is expected to inaugurate the four-day event. “IDEAS 2018 has drawn in 262 high level delegations from 51 different countries,” officials of the Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO) said during a briefing on Saturday. The officials said that 520 exhibitors from 50 countries including Pakistan will showcase their defence products in the exhibition. Delegations from China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Jordon, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Turkey, UAE, Ukraine and US will also set up their exclusive country pavilion at the expo and showcase their defence equipment during the four-day long exhibition.

“IDEAS 2018 has surpassed all previous milestones in terms of space, booking, exhibitors and delegates – domestic and foreigners, and Karachi Expo Centre has been booked to its full capacity with 522 exhibitors from 50 countries, including Pakistan,” the officials informed during the briefing.

The first two days of the event have been earmarked for delegations, trade visitors and networking activities. Other highlights of the day include an international seminar on emerging global and regional environment and the role of grey hybrid warfare in Pakistan’s perspective. Renowned national and international subject matter experts will present their scholarly papers on the topic. Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mahmood Hayat NI(m) will be the keynote speaker.

Another significance of IDEAS 2018 is the holding of exclusive land, maritime and aviation conferences by Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force respectively which will be hosted by respective service chiefs. In addition, November 30, the fourth day of the exhibition will be exclusively reserved for the general public.

Pakistan Air Force gears up to showcase military hardware in IDEAS-2018

Pakistan Air Force is ready to showcase indigenously manufactured products in IDEAs. This year PAF is participating in the mega event with locally made state-of-the-art military hardware, including Air Defence Command and Control Centres as well as integrated simulators. Manufactured by the personnel of PAF, these simulators are being used by PAF to modernise its operational training environment. Pakistan Aeronautical Complex Kamra would also setup their stall at the venue along with a static display of JF-17 Thunder and Super Mushshak aircraft.

To add more colour to this event, PAF aircraft would perform aerobatics display at Seaview Karachi. Besides JF-17 Thunder and F-16 fighter aircraft.Sherdil aerobatics team would also present a scintillating aerial display on the 3rd day of the exhibition. On the same day a seminar on Self-Reliance through Research Innovation and Development would be conducted under the auspices of Training Branch of PAF.

Hundreds of firms from various countries would exhibit their products in one of the largest Defence Exhibition in the region. High ranking delegations and services chiefs from friendly countries would attend the much-awaited exhibition.

Published in Daily Times, November 27^th 2018.