Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Monday visited various exhibition stalls of Pakistani and Saudi defence companies at the World Defense Show (WDS) 2026 in Riyadh, where he reviewed modern defence technologies and products.
According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf and Secretary of Defence Production Lieutenant General (retd) Chiragh Haider accompanied the defence minister during the visit.
On the occasion, Khawaja Asif also held meetings with representatives of the defence industry and discussed advancements in military manufacturing and innovation.
The World Defense Show 2026 is currently underway in Riyadh from February 8 to 12. Organised by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), the third edition of the exhibition is being held under the theme “The Future of Defense Integration.”
The event is a key component of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to localise 50 per cent of the kingdom’s military spending.
The exhibition is being hosted at a purpose-built site spanning 800,000 square metres, located approximately 70 kilometres from central Riyadh.
It features three major exhibition halls and has brought together more than 925 exhibitors from 80 countries. Technologies on display cover land, air, sea, space and internal security domains.
Key features of the exhibition include a dedicated hub for startups and innovators focusing on breakthrough technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and quantum systems.
A new zone highlights the latest developments in autonomous technologies across all military domains, while a maritime defence area showcases naval vessels, precision weapons and subsea navigation systems.
Another section is dedicated to connecting local small and medium enterprises with global defence manufacturers to strengthen domestic production.
Daily air and land demonstrations are also part of the event, featuring advanced military assets, including 4x4 and 8x8 combat vehicles and international flight teams.
Among major highlights, new HEET 4x4 and HEET 8x8 armoured vehicles were unveiled, featuring advanced protection systems and enhanced crew visibility.
China has a strong presence at the exhibition with more than 50 participating companies, including CATIC and NORINCO, while Russia’s Rosoboronexport is debuting its Sarma rocket launcher and Ballista remote-controlled weapon station.
Turkish firm Karel has also introduced its COM-BAT 5G private mobile network designed for tactical battlefield communications.
Global defence giants, including Lockheed Martin, Boeing and BAE Systems, are displaying high-profile platforms such as the F-35 fighter jet, the THAAD missile defence system, the F-15E Strike Eagle and the AH-64 Apache helicopter.