The Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX 2025) opened on 1 December at the Egypt International Exhibition Centre in Cairo, bringing together more than 450 companies from over 80 countries and an estimated 40,000 military and industry professionals.
In its fourth edition, EDEX marks a major milestone: for the first time the event is being fully managed by Egyptian institutions. A committee from the Ministry of Military Production, the Armed Forces and the Arab Organisation for Industrialisation (AOI) now oversees the show, reflecting Egypt’s drive to strengthen sovereignty in both defence manufacturing and large-scale event management.
The central theme this year is the localisation of defence technology, highlighted by 260 Egyptian-made systems on display. Civilian industry is also integrated for the first time with the Federation of Egyptian Industries participating after assessments confirming the ability of local factories to produce dual-use components.
On the international front, Türkiye is the largest foreign exhibitor, fielding 81 companies including Aselsan and Istanbul Naval Shipyard. Its dominant presence signals deepening ties between Cairo and Ankara and Ankara’s push to expand its footprint in African and Arab defence markets.
Exhibitor rankings underscore the shifting global landscape: Egypt follows with 46 domestic firms while China is third with 30 companies, reflecting its continued interest in the African security sector.
