Over 1,800 experts descend on Abu Dhabi for defence conference

@IDEX_UAE

The International Defence Conference (IDC 2023), inaugurated by Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, was held on Sunday in Abu Dhabi under the theme “Adaption, Exploration, Transformation: Reimagining Security, Society, and the Human Experience in an age of Disruption”.

Under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, IDC 2023 took place one day ahead of the IDEX and NAVDEX at ADNOC Business Centre with more than 1,800 participants  from regional and international defence and security companies. marking a growth of over 25 per cent compared to the previous edition.

The conference included four panel discussions that cover the social and economic impacts and risks of widespread adoption of new technologies, talent development and human capital management, and impact of emerging technologies on modern operations and the future of warfare.

More than 17 speakers participated, including leaders, ministers, and senior officials in the defence sector from around the world.

The first panel, titled “Promise and Peril,” covered the social and economic impacts and risks of widespread adoption of new technologies such as AI, neuro, & biotechnology and extended reality.

The second panel, titled “Keeping Pace,” shed light on how the increasing incorporation of advanced technologies in the workplace is changing approaches to talent development and human capital management.

The third panel, titled “Tech at the Forefront,” discussed the impact of emerging technologies on modern operations and the future of warfare.

The fourth panel, titled “the Next Frontiers,” explored the human instinct to explore beyond the current dimensions of the terrestrial and physical world and expand the human footprint in both the space and digital domains.

The IDC 2023 was organised by ADNEC Group in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence and in strategic partnership with Tawazun Council (Tawazun).

More from Business

  • Abu Dhabi-India Business Forum to deepen trade, investment ties

    The Abu Dhabi–India Business Forum, co-organised by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) in cooperation with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has underscored the scale and momentum of the partnership and discussed ways to deepen trade and investment ties.

  • GCC tourism and travel hits $247.1 billion in 2024

    The value added by the travel and tourism sector to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries reached $247.1 billion in 2024, up 31.9 per cent from 2019, according to the GCC Statistical Centre.

  • 39,546 tourism, hospitality, aviation licences issued up to mid-September: UAE Minister

    The number of commercial licences in tourism, hospitality, aviation, air transport, aviation technologies and digital tourism in the UAE reached 39,546 by mid-September 2025, a 275 per cent increase compared to mid-September 2020, according to Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council.

  • Abu Dhabi, Malaysia cooperate on developing next-gen autonomous platforms

    K2, an Abu Dhabi company specialising in advanced autonomous systems and AI-driven technologies, has announced the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Pahang Aerospace City (PAC) and the University Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) to cooperate on the development of next-generation autonomous platforms.

  • Trump signs order declaring TikTok sale ready and values it at $14 billion

    President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday declaring that his plan to sell Chinese-owned TikTok's US operations to American and global investors will address the national security requirements in a 2024 law.