Under patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and on behalf of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, inaugurated on Sunday the 15th edition of the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX 2021).

IDEX, which will be held over the next five days, until 25 February, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, is the largest international events to take place in the post-pandemic recovery phase.Naval Defence and Maritime Security Exhibition (NAVDEX) is also being held along IDEX.

At the opening ceremony, H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan was joined by Ramzan Kadyrov, President of the Chechen Republic; Rustam Nurgaliyevich Minnikhanov, President of Tatarstan; Oleh Urusky, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine; and General Mohamed Hamdan Daglu, First Deputy Chairman of the Sovereign Transitional Council of Sudan, alongside a number of senior officials. The ceremony, which was an exclusive event reserved for high-profile international delegates, observed the highest standards of precautionary and preventative measures.

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, commented: "IDEX 2021 is a prominent global exhibition, demonstrating the latest military equipment, advanced weaponry, and combat technologies. It presents a regional and international opportunity for all nations and major companies who operate in this strategic field.'' "Organising this event, at this time, demonstrates how the UAE is fully-equipped to manage international events, given the exceptional circumstances which the world faces as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our nation’s readiness to host this exhibition has been enabled by the astute guidance and insightful vision of our wise leadership.

"Visionary innovation, specialised manufacturing, and cutting-edge scientific development is cornerstone priority for our nation, as made clear in our policy direction. These values will ensure an auspicious future for consecutive generations of Emiratis, alongside supporting our nation’s continued succession of majestic achievements."

Commencing with the National Anthem of the United Arab Emirates, the inauguration ceremony included a visual presentation which narrated the nation’s story of accelerated development and global leadership, alongside highlighting the UAE’s roster of exceptional achievements, in spite of challenging global circumstances, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also included in the ceremony were a number of military parades and musical performances, as well as the iconic displays of the UAE’s aerobatic team, Al Fursan, who released their signature smoke trails in the colours of the nation’s flag above the sky in Abu Dhabi.

Other activities included mock exercises, co-performed by land, air, and naval units. During the drills, defence manoeuvring technology was showcased to audiences, highlighting state-of-the-art solutions which use virtual reality, artificial intelligence, robotics, and satellite communications to pinpoint vehicles’ location and movements.

In addition, the inauguration ceremony was attended by Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs; Lt. General Hamad Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithi, Chief of Staff of the UAE Armed Forces; alongside a number of senior commanders of the UAE Armed Forces.