Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) today announced the launch of an online registration portal to enable exhibitors, experts, visitors, as well as local and international media representatives to conveniently register for the upcoming edition of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2017) and the Naval Defence Exhibition and Conference (NAVDEX 2017).

Under the patronage of the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, IDEX 2017 and NAVDEX 2017 will run from 19 to 23 February 2017 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). The landmark defence events are being organised by ADNEC in cooperation with the UAE Armed Forces.

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Acting Group CEO of ADNEC, said: “The 13^th edition of IDEX and NAVDEX will draw unprecedented participation from local and international companies in the defence sectors. IDEX 2017 is set to emerge as the largest edition since the event’s debut some 23 years ago.”

Al Dhaheri pointed out that the online registration portal for IDEX 2017 and NAVDEX 2017 is part of ADNEC’s efforts to enhance the quality of its services and facilities to effectively meet the demands of today’s dynamic exhibitors and visitors. On completion of their online registration process, visitors and experts will be provided with the necessary entry permits to attend the mega defence events.”

He added: “Led by highly-qualified Emirati talent, our team has collaborated with international experts to develop an online event registration portal that is user-friendly, and boasts more advanced features and registration options compared to the portal used in previous editions of the event.

“ADNEC prioritises IDEX and NAVDEX due to their significant role in promoting Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE as an important destination on the global event landscape. Both events are much-awaited ones for the defence sector, including investors and companies seeking to stay up-to-date with the latest global developments in the military arena.”

For his part, Saeed bin Khadim Al Mansouri, Director of IDEX 2017 and NAVDEX 2017, pointed out that the upcoming events will welcome decision makers from the world’s largest companies specialising in defence and security systems, and feature several national pavilions.

Al Mansouri said: “The teams for IDEX 2017 and NAVDEX 2017 are currently working with all public and private sector partners to organise an exemplary event that is a true reflection of the UAE’s leading status as an international exhibition hub.”

Following a decision to hold the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) separately from IDEX in order to increase the scope of both events, IDEX 2017 and NAVDEX 2017 will provide more exhibition space, exceeding 133,000 square metres.

Al Mansouri highlighted that NAVDEX 2017 will register an increase in the number of companies and naval ships participating in the event. These ships will be showcased at the ADNEC Marina and Port Zayed in Abu Dhabi.

Two specialised conferences will be organised alongside IDEX 2017 and NAVDEX 2017, anticipated to attract leading international experts to discuss regional and global defence and security issues.

More than 1,200 exhibitors and 101,000 visitors from across the globe participated in IDEX 2015, with signed deals amounting to over AED18.3 billion.