Belarus Showcases Military Products That Have Good Export Prospects at Exhibition in Karachi

For the first time Belarus showcased military products that have good export prospects at the 9th international defence exhibition and seminar IDEAS 2016 held from 22 to 25 November in Karachi, Pakistan. The event was attended by almost 90 delegations from around the world and 40 high-ranking defence officials, in particular defence ministers, defence industry ministers, chiefs of general staffs and military commanders of the armed forces.
The United States, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey and other countries organised their national expositions. A total of 418 companies from 34 countries took part in IDEAS 2016.
Participation of Belarusian companies in IDEAS 2016 is an opportunity to enter markets of Pakistan and South Asian countries, establish new business contacts and explore the competitive environment in the region to further address a wide range of marketing objectives.
The Goscomvoyenprom’s joint stand at this world’s largest defence and security exhibition was organised by Belvneshpromservice.
The Belarusian stand was visited by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Federal Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain, as well as official delegations from a number of other countries. They familiarised themselves with exhibited military products and defence companies’ capabilities.
The stand showcased the latest defence technologies and capabilities of the Belarusian defence sector in the field of optical and optoelectronic instrument-making, mobile platforms for weapon systems, advanced radar and electronic warfare systems, as well as capabilities to upgrade SAM systems.
KB Radar, management company of the Radar Systems Holding displayed large-scale mock-ups of the Groza VHF/UHF radio communication jammer, the Vostok-3D radar and the Rosa-E low-altitude radar, which are the hallmarks of the company.
The Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant exhibited mock-ups of wheeled chassis of 543, 6922 and 7930 families, a mock-up of the MZKT-74135 8×8 tractor unit, which is designed to transport large and heavy cargo as part of a 130-tonne road train, as well as a mock-up of the MZKT-742953 tractor unit, which is capable of transporting cargo as part of a 70-tonne road train. Today VOLAT offers ultimate off-road capability, carrying out tasks of transporting equipment and cargo both in hot deserts and permafrost areas of the far north.
OKB TSP displayed a mock-up of the Redut command and staff vehicle (the Redut-221 modification), as well as capabilities to upgrade the Buk-MB SAM systems.
The Belarusian delegation at IDEAS 2016 was led by First Deputy Chairman of Goscomvoyenprom Igor Bykov.
Relations between the two countries are built on a constructive basis. During an official visit of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, on 29 May 2015 the parties signed an intergovernmental agreement on military-technical cooperation, which establishes the basis for the development of the legal framework of military-technical cooperation between the two countries, as well as creates favourable conditions for Belarusian defence companies’ operation in the interests of Pakistan’s arms market.
To coordinate bilateral military-technical cooperation, the parties established the Joint Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation.

Translated by Olga Klevko