Idex’s full form is the International Defence Exhibition & Conference (IDEX). The IDEX 2025 exhibition in Abu Dhabi is the world’s most strategically significant tri-service defence event, showcasing the latest land, sea, and air defence developments. IDEX, held every two years, is the only defence show in the MENA area supporting international government, military force, corporate cooperation, and creative technology.
IDEX 2025 will be among the most significant and vast activities on the defence calendar, using approximately 165,000 square metres of current exhibition space at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). Under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahaney, UAE President and Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Capital Events plans the occasion with the whole support of the UAE Armed Forces.
Events Highlights
- Idex Dates: February 17–21, 2025.
- Idex Timings: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
- International Defence Conference (IDC): February 16, 2025.
- Innovative Programs: Features along with the International Defense Conference (IDC), IDEX Talks, Startup Zone, High-Level Roundtable, and Innovation Trail provide visitors with growing opportunities and issues regarding defence.
- Idex venue: The Idex venue is the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Who Planned the Idex Exhibition in Abu Dhabi?
Under strategic collaboration with the Ministry of Defense and in cooperation with the Tawazun Council, coordinated by ADNEC Group, IDC offers a worldwide forum bringing together influential decision-makers, professionals, and leaders from all over. By debating important global topics and risks and offering creative ideas to meet future difficulties, the event seeks to encourage cooperation among states, institutions, and defence companies.
Key Sessions
The three main sessions of Idex Abu Dhabi will comprise:
- Global Disturbances and Defence Preparedness: Mitigating Threats to Critical Supply Chains.
- Disinformation and Influence Operations: Modern Conflict Weaponizing of Information.
- Space: The New Arena for Security and Defence.
1. Global Disruptions and Defence Preparedness: Mitigating Threats to Critical Supply Chains
The first session will start with an opening speech stressing the need to encourage international cooperation and create creative defence solutions to handle world issues. It will then examine the hitherto unheard-of difficulties caused by world events, including geopolitics, natural disasters, cyberattacks, and pandemics.
Moreover, the address will concentrate on improving the resilience of important defence and national security supply chains through government cooperation among several sectors. It will also cover the part startups’ technical innovations play in enhancing the stability of supply networks.
The first session will examine the present difficulties confronting world supply chains and the proactive steps needed to foresee and control interruptions properly. It will also underline the need for technological innovation and startups to enhance defence and national security, strategies for creating cooperative international networks to lower risks, the part the defence sector plays in safeguarding essential supply chains, and lessons learnt from recent global supply chain crises.
2. Disinformation and Influence Operations: Modern Conflict Weaponizing of Information
The second session will look at misinformation strategies, the function of artificial intelligence in creating disinformation campaigns, and their effects on the stability of societies and political systems in an era when technology intersects with politics, making transforming information a potent weapon of conflict.
The session will also discuss several ways that governments and non-governmental organisations spread false information, the effects of artificial intelligence and deep search on disinformation campaigns, the ethical issues of using knowledge as a weapon, the function of social media platforms in disseminating false information, and techniques for spotting and negating false information. It will also look at creating a strong information environment using cooperation between the government, the commercial sector, and civil society organisations.
3. Space: The New Arena for Security and Defence
It will discuss how modern warfare and defence depend increasingly on space. As the world is now seeing fast changes in the strategic space environment, marked by a significant increase in satellite launches and the use of commercial satellites in actual combat operations, the session will concentrate on the growing attention paid to the threats and opportunities in this crowded, competitive, and contested domain.
The event will cover creating new technologies for Space Situational Awareness (SSA), missile defence, safe satellite communications, and strengthening resilient space assets. Counter-space capabilities, meant to challenge the use of space services, seriously compromise military operations. The workshop will also cover the significance of states forming space forces, leadership, policies, alliances, and military capability.
The International Defense Conference will examine significant topical problems related to space and defence, focusing on new threats to space systems, chances to improve resilience, breakthroughs in new technologies, the vital role of the private sector, and the need for space alliances.
Along with top military executives from Idex Middle East, IDC will feature high-level international participation in defence, economics, and technology, including Dr. Yossi Sheffi, director of the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics. The workshop will finish with a focused session offering strategic ideas to help define the structure for the following defensive initiatives.
Participation of Naval Group in the Events
From February 17–21, the Naval Group will participate in the 17th edition of IDEX and NAVDEX 2025 at the ADNEC. Leading in naval defence globally, the company will highlight its most recent innovations under booths B-059 (NAVDEX) and 07-A11 (IDEX), stressing its commitment to marine security. Naval Group has been a reliable defence partner in the Middle East for more than thirty years, working with regional navies on sophisticated naval projects. Recent benchmarks are two Gowind corvettes for the UAE Navy and ongoing assistance of the SAWARI program for the Saudi Arabian Navy.
Naval Group will showcase the FDI Frigate, a multi-role warship built for high-intensity operations, at IDEX and NAVDEX with the Multipurpose and Modular Launching System (MPLS) to tackle asymmetric threats. The corporation will also stress its lifecycle support services, guaranteeing the best fleet performance, and its unmannered systems created over 15 years ago for modern navy forces. Strongly regional and committed to innovation, the Naval Group seeks to deepen ties with the UAE Navy and other defence partners, strengthen alliances, and improve maritime security throughout the Middle East.
Why Should You Attend IDEX 2025?
- Meet Top Exhibitors: Speak with over 1,000 exhibitors presenting cutting-edge security and defence technologies.
- Network with decision-makers, including military leaders, government agencies, and security and defence experts.
- Gain Industry Insights: Attending the International Military Conference and other events will help you stay informed about the most recent developments in military and security technologies.
- Live Demonstrations: View modern tools and creative defence ideas in real-time.
- Broaden Your Understanding: IDEX presents unmatched learning chances regardless of experience level or freshness in the field.
- Stay Ahead of the Curve: See new product launches and early access to innovative technologies.
IDEX 2025’s Financial Advantages for the UAE Economy
The UAE’s economy substantially benefits from events like the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX). Attracting many foreign exhibitors, defence contractors, and delegations helps IDEX create significant commercial prospects and alliances. This flood of worldwide attendees drives many industries, including hotels, tourists, and services, generating more income and employment.
Furthermore, the event highlights the UAE’s dedication to technical development and innovation, strengthening its worldwide profile and drawing more overseas capital. The assistance of the Ministry of Defence for IDEX fits UAE’s efforts to embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution and attain a knowledge-based economy, promoting sustainable growth in many spheres.
How These Events Affect UAE Real Estate Investor’s Confidence?
The effective staging of well-known events like IDEX 2025 significantly increases investor confidence in the UAE’s real estate industry. The worldwide attention attracted during such events highlights the country’s stability, strong infrastructure, and forward-looking perspective, which appeal to property investors. Notably, off-plan property investments have surged; 60% of transactions are related to off-plan buildings. Forecasts showing a 5–8% annual price increase and an average rental return of 7% in Dubai’s real estate market by 2025 help further reinforce this trend.
The increased demand for Dubai off-plan properties is explained by the possibility of capital appreciation and the chance to buy luxury flats at reasonable rates. Idex registration enhances instantaneous monetary profits and raises the long-term attractiveness of the UAE’s real estate sector to foreign investors.
Idex 2025 allows individuals to meet with global professionals and discover the technology needed to outline the path of defence and safety, supporting them in establishing themselves as leaders inside the worldwide defence enterprise.
