On the 5th day of IDEX and NAVDEX 2025, Tawazun Council announced 15 deals valued at AED 1.43 billion (US$389.65 million) with both local and international companies. This brought the total number of deals signed during the five-day exhibition to 55, with a total value of AED 25.15 billion (US$6.85 billion), reflecting a 10% growth compared to the 2023 edition.
The total contracts signed amounted to AED 3.97 billion on the first day (US1.08 billion), AED 5.80 billion (US$1.58 billion) on the second day, AED 10.18 billion (US$2.77 billion) on the third day, and AED 3.77 billion (US$1.03 billion) on the fourth day.
The announcement was made during a press conference attended by Majed Ahmed Al Jabri, Mohamed Saif Al Zaabi, and Mahra Bilal Al Dhaheri, the official spokespersons for Tawazun Council, who shared details about the Council’s agreements for the Ministry of Defense at the exhibitions, which were held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and organized by ADNEC Group, in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense and Tawazun Council.
UAE’s EDGE Group announced it was awarded 16 major contracts for a total value of US$ 2.90 Billion (AED 10.65 Billion), representing 42.46% of the total deals signed at the show.
Furthermore, EDGE signed 32 strategic international agreements and launched 46 ground-breaking solutions and services across the air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains.
The 2025 editions of IDEX and NAVDEX achieved record-breaking satisfaction levels among exhibitors and visitors. ADNEC Group collaborated with a leading global research firm, GRS, to conduct on-site surveys throughout the exhibitions.
Meantime, the 2025 International Defence Conference, held alongside the exhibitions, attracted over 1,800 attendees, a 25% increase from the previous edition. It featured participation from 55 military delegation Heads, 40 CEOs of defence companies, 48 Ambassadors, and 65 Military Attachés. Discussions centred on global security challenges, supply chain resilience, information warfare, and emerging threats in space, with 12 prominent speakers including Ministers and top defence officials.
This year’s editions introduced several first-time features and initiatives. IDEX showcased advancements across 17 critical defence sectors, including land, air, and unmanned systems. Cutting-edge technologies such as navigation, radar, command and control, electronic warfare, and personal defence systems were displayed, reflecting modern military readiness and operational excellence.
NAVDEX 2025, in its eighth edition, featured an exceptional display of naval fleets from eight nations, including the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Pakistan, Greece, South Korea, and India. Vessels and maritime systems were exhibited at ADNEC Marina and Zayed Port, reinforcing the growing significance of maritime security and naval defence solutions.
The current edition of the exhibition featured 1,565 companies from 65 countries, marking a 16% increase compared to the previous edition. Additionally, the total exhibition space expanded by 10%, reaching 181,501 square metres. A total of 731 companies participated for the first time, representing an 82% increase, alongside 213 Emirati companies, which accounted for 16% of the total exhibitors, reflecting the advancement of the UAE’s defence industries sector.
For the first time, seven countries participated in IDEX, including Qatar, Ethiopia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Cyprus. Furthermore, Hall 14 was inaugurated, accommodating 341 exhibiting companies, further enhancing the diversity and scale of exhibits.
Key Figures:
- The number of visitors increased to 206,073, marking a 55.5% growth compared to the previous edition.
- International visitors accounted for 57% from 167 countries, while 43% were local visitors.
- The UAE ranked first in visitor numbers, followed by China, Turkey, the USA, India, France, Russia, South Korea, the UK, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and Ukraine.
- Male visitors made up 85% of the total, while female visitors accounted for 15%.
- The total value of deals reached AED 25.15 billion (US$6.85 billion), reflecting a 10% increase compared to the previous edition.
- Emirati companies secured 68% of the Armed Forces’ contracts during the exhibition.
- 70% of the exhibition space for the 2027 edition has already been pre-booked.
- The next edition of the exhibition is scheduled to take place from 25 to 29 January 2027.
- The number of exhibiting companies rose to 1,565, representing a 16% increase and 65 countries, including seven new ones.
- A total of 41 national pavilions participated from across the globe.
- The exhibition space expanded by 10%, reaching 181,501 square metres.
- 213 national companies participated in both exhibitions, making up 16% of the total exhibitors.
- The event attracted 156 start-ups, accounting for 10% of the total exhibiting companies.
- 6,000 university students attended to explore the latest technologies, develop their skills, and foster innovation in these critical sectors who make up 3% of the exhibition visitors.
- The exhibitor satisfaction score on the NPS index rose to +34 points, significantly exceeding the global exhibition industry benchmark of +8 points (300% above the global standard).
- The visitor satisfaction score on the NPS index increased to +63 points, compared to the global benchmark of +29 points (119% higher than the global average).
