Former Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính visited the missile exhibition area of ​​the Air Force and Air Defence Service at the 2nd Việt Nam International Defence Expo in Hà Nội in December 2024. — VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đức

HÀ NỘI — A total of 189 companies and organisations from 36 countries, including the UK, Russia, Japan and Türkiye, have registered to exhibit at the Việt Nam International Defence Expo 2026, the Ministry of National Defence announced at a press conference in Hà Nội on Tuesday.

The expo is scheduled to take place at Gia Lâm Airport in Hà Nội from December 10 to 13. Its opening ceremony, set for 9am to 10.30am on December 10, will be broadcast live on Việt Nam Television’s VTV1 channel.

The ceremony is expected to feature a special forces demonstration and a helicopter flypast by the Air Defence–Air Force Service. The public will be able to visit the exhibition on December 12 and 13.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and President Tô Lâm is expected to attend the opening and deliver a speech.

Major General Nguyễn Đức Tăng, Deputy Political Commissar of the General Department of Defence Industry, said the expo will showcase weapons and military equipment from the Việt Nam People’s Army and the People’s Public Security forces, including new products and technologies.

At the national defence experience and military-themed games zone, visitors will have the opportunity to experience operating a MiG-21 fighter jet, an infantry fighting vehicle or a military vessel through virtual reality technology.

They can also explore new dual-use technologies and products, or engage in activities such as simulated military medical procedures, special operations techniques, demonstrations with service dogs and simulated marksmanship. 

The year 2026 will mark the third Việt Nam International Defence Expo, which aims to strengthen and expand international cooperation and defence diplomacy, while fostering trust between Việt Nam and other nations. It also serves as an opportunity for Việt Nam to share its defence foreign policy, its vision for military development and its strategies for advancing the national defence industry.

The expo also provides a platform for countries, as well as domestic and international companies and enterprises, to showcase their products and explore new opportunities for collaboration.

According to the organisers, the expo will cover approximately 123,800sq.m, an increase of 23,800sq.m from the 2024 edition. Indoor exhibition space will span around 23,500 sq.m, while 24,700sq.m is for outdoor displays.

The registered exhibitors have booked around 8,020sq.m of indoor space and 425sq.m of outdoor space. The expo will also feature 16 national pavilions, with further negotiations under way for additional exhibition space.

Domestic and international defence companies will present combat vehicles, technological solutions, weapons and equipment for naval, ground, air defence and air force operations, as well as cyber warfare, logistics and technical support.

Indoor displays organised by the Ministry of National Defence are expected to feature products and services researched and developed by Vietnamese defence industry agencies, units and enterprises.

The organisers will also set up an 8,200sq.m zone showcasing economic and defence products alongside cultural highlights from Việt Nam's three regions. The area will include displays of signature economic and defence products, interactive experiences, national brands and traditional village products. — VNS