About Exhibition

Country and market information

Azerbaijan is the largest country in the South Caucasus region. Bordering Russia to the north, Georgia to the north-west, Armenia to the west, Iran to the south and Turkey to the south-west, the country’s population in present time is 9,4mln people. Azerbaijan’s total surface area is 86,6 thsd sqm and its capital is Baku.

Azerbaijan’s economy has maintained high growth rates, placing it among the leading countries for GDP growth. Industry is among the country’s developed and important sectors, with machine building, metallurgy, fuel and energy, chemicals, food and other areas forming its base.

Economic information, history and the current situation

The first defence factories in independent Azerbaijan were founded in 1918. Based on existing facilities. they were effective workshops set up to repair the various types of military equipment of the newly established Azerbaijani Army. Following Azerbaijan’s entry to the USSR, these factories became part of the Soviet defence industry, and during the Second World War they produced a range of military hardware. Thus, factories of the military-industrial complex of Azerbaijan operated round-the-clock production and repair of the UTI-4 and YaK-3 fighter planes and missiles for the legendary Katyusha rocket launcher.

After regaining Azerbaijan’s independence and especially after Heydar Aliyev returned to power in 1993, a series of effective economic reforms began, and over the past 20 years Azerbaijan has achieved almost total energy, infrastructural, and the most important financial independence.

In recent years, state investment activity has notably moved towards developing the domestic defence industry.

Azerbaijan’s government has assigned the issue of localizing production of staple military hardware as a strategic development matter for the coming decades. This has been confirmed by state investment programmes aimed at developing domestic military production over this period, primarily the establishment of the Ministry of Defence Industry of the Republic of Azerbaijan by Ilham Aliyev’s Presidential order on 16 December 2005.

A range of major projects have been completed in Azerbaijan’s defence industry, and production capacity for military goods has been dramatically expanded. Thus, the armored vehicles, sniper rifles of different calibers, automatic rifles, pistols, machine guns, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), grenade launchers, mortars, optical-mechanical & optoelectronic devices can be shown to be products the manufacturing of which were launched by the Ministry during a certain period of activity. Furthermore, all types of ammunition are currently produced by the enterprises of the Ministry.

Scientific Research Institutes engaged in space research and other R&D; are operating in the country.

At present, around 700 different items and models are produced. Azerbaijan’s Ministry of the Defence Industry is actively expanding defence industrial cooperation with a large number of countries, based on collaboration, partnership, JV and offsetting.

Aims of the exhibition:

• Strengthen cooperation in the military hardware sector
• Expand international partnership circles
• Present the latest achievements from Azerbaijani and international producers of military hardware
• Develop business contacts between producers and buyers of military hardware from around the world
• Showcase the achievements and potential of Azerbaijan’s defence industry to the domestic and international community

Why take part?

ADEX is a chance to learn about cutting-edge defence technologies and products from across the military hardware sector, as well as the latest military equipment offered for export in the global defence market.

By exhibiting at ADEX, you can fully unlock its commercial potential and open up possibilities and prospects for your business. It is an opportunity to make new business contacts and bolster relations with your clients and partners.

Events held within the exhibition

• Evening welcome reception for exhibitors
• Presentations and seminars