Industry exhibition
Product, system and capability presentations across the IDEX halls, NAVDEX marine environment and specialist areas.
17th edition · Trade and government event
International Defence Exhibition & Conference
Abu Dhabi hosts the global defence community for five days of procurement, partnership and technical exchange.
25to29
Start with your purpose
Choose the route that matches your visit.
Each route keeps the shared event facts visible and brings the right requirements, evidence and next action forward.
01
Visiting professionals
Confirm eligibility, prepare credentials and plan the day.
IDEX is a trade and government event. Entry requires advance registration and approval. Visitors should prepare professional identification and allow time for venue security.
Your next step
Review access requirements, register when the official portal opens, then save the venue and opening hours.
Prepare your visit
02
Exhibiting companies
Evaluate the audience, floor scale and commercial opportunity.
The 2025 edition hosted 1,565 exhibitors and 206,073 visitors. Seventy per cent of 2027 floor space was already pre-booked when the edition closed.
Your next step
Review the event evidence and prepare stand size, domain, objectives and delegation requirements before contacting the sales team.
Review the evidence
03
Official delegations
Coordinate protocol, accreditation and hosted meetings.
Official delegations require a dedicated coordination route covering credentials, protocol, schedules and bilateral meeting requirements.
Your next step
Contact the delegation team through the approved government channel. Public visitor registration should not replace official coordination.
View organiser information
04
Media
Apply for accreditation and access approved event material.
Media attendance is accredited separately. Editorial teams need approved credentials, collection instructions and a current press library before travelling.
Your next step
Prepare publication details and assignment confirmation. Accreditation dates and collection instructions will be published by the organiser.
View event formats
2025 results
Measured at scale.
The last edition provides a practical basis for planning participation in 2027. Figures below come from ADNEC Group's published event results.
206,073
visitors
55.5% growth from the previous edition
1,565
exhibiting companies
from 65 countries
167
visitor countries
57% of visitors were international
181,501 m²
exhibition space
41 national pavilions
AED 25.15bn
total deal value
55 agreements announced across five days
Capability domains
Capability areas shown in context.
Real exhibition photography gives each domain context. Use the controls to explore the areas represented across IDEX and NAVDEX.
Naval
Maritime security, vessels, mission systems and technologies shown through NAVDEX and the connected exhibition environment.
What happens at IDEX
Five days built for exchange.
Detailed 2027 schedules should only appear when confirmed. The homepage first explains the event formats people can plan around.
Live demonstrations
Scheduled demonstrations provide operational context. Times and access information will be published in the official programme.
Talks and conference
Leadership and technical discussions bring together government, military and industry perspectives.
Next generation
Start-ups, emerging companies and future talent are given a dedicated route into the defence ecosystem.
See the event before you arrive
Walk through IDEX.
Official imagery from the previous edition shows the scale, pace and range of a day at the event. Use the film for an overview, then browse the full visual sequence.
A concise view of the exhibition environment, people and live activity from a previous edition.
Visual field guide
Wide concourses connect country pavilions, exhibitors and meeting points across the venue.
Full halls and large-format displays make orientation and a planned route essential.
Visitors examine systems at close range and speak directly with the people behind them.
Product tables support detailed conversations about equipment, components and use cases.
Scheduled discussions turn the exhibition floor into a place for focused business exchange.
Military and government representatives meet peers from across the region and beyond.
Stage sessions add policy, leadership and technical perspectives to the exhibition visit.
Official moments and processions bring a distinctive rhythm to the public concourses.
Large land systems extend the experience beyond the exhibition halls.
Outdoor presentations give aircraft and autonomous platforms the space they need.
Major systems are displayed at real scale, supported by technical staff and interpretation.
Concept platforms and prototypes make emerging directions visible.
Models and system displays support close inspection by professional audiences.
Country and company stands create direct access to expertise from different markets.
Conversations continue beside the exhibits, between appointments and formal sessions.
Dedicated hubs help visitors find focused communities and capabilities within the wider show.
Photography and film: official IDEX media from a previous edition.
Plan the fixed date
Arrive informed.
IDEX is a controlled professional event. Confirm approval, identity requirements and official travel information before arriving at ADNEC Centre.
- Date
- to
- Opening hours
- 09:00 to 17:00 GST
- Venue
- ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Access
- Trade, government, military and accredited media audiences. Approval required.
- 2027 programme
- Detailed schedules and floor information forthcoming from the organiser.
Patronage and organisation
An event of national and international importance.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates.
Organiser
In association with
In association with