Islamabad, Nov 24: Pakistan has entered into 82 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with allied nations to export defense equipment and products valued at $30 billion.
These exports include cutting-edge drones, fighter aircraft, commercial and logistic ships, electronic warfare systems, and advanced radars.
The agreements were finalized during the four-day International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS 2024), which concluded on Friday at the Karachi Expo Centre.
At the closing ceremony of the 12th edition of IDEAS, Lt Gen (Retd) Chiragh Haider, Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Production, announced that Pakistan had secured potential defense export orders amounting to $36 billion, including agreements from previous editions.
While these contracts require time for trials, testing, and adjustments before becoming operational projects, some are expected to be realized within one to two years.
Over the last three years, Pakistan has achieved defense exports totaling $1.3 billion, with an average annual export value of $450 million since IDEAS 2022, he noted.
Major defense organizations in Pakistan, including Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT), Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF) Wah, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Kamra, the National Radio & Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC), and Global Industrial & Defence Solutions Pakistan (GIDS Pakistan), signed numerous MoUs with foreign entities, as highlighted by Major General Asad Nawaz Khan, Director General of the Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO).
Additionally, a private Pakistani company signed a MoU worth Rs10 billion with Switzerland.
He emphasized the critical role of technology-focused defense startups, which secured 15 MoUs to establish technology parks in collaboration with Pakistan’s armed forces. Notable agreements included a MoU between Turkiye and POF Wah to develop a production plant and another between NRTC and a Middle Eastern country.
NRTC Managing Director Muhammad Asim disclosed that the corporation had signed 11 MoUs with Middle Eastern and African nations for technology, communication, and radar systems.
He also mentioned receiving a letter of intent (LOI) for air defense radars from a friendly country, potentially leading to a major export deal.
Furthermore, IDEAS 2024 opened new avenues for Pakistan in African and East Asian markets, resulting in MoUs with five new export destinations in areas such as technology, surveillance, electronic warfare, and radar systems. These advancements signify a major milestone for Pakistan’s defense industry on the global stage.
