The event is set to take place at the QNCC from January 19 to 22 under the patronage of Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
This year’s edition of the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX) is set to be its largest since the event’s launch in 2008, Staff Brigadier (Sea) Abdulbaqi Al-Ansari told the press in Qatar on Sunday.
Al-Ansari, who is also the DIMDEX Chairman, revealed that the 2026 edition is set to welcome more than 130 global delegations and feature eight international pavilions.
“It reflects the exhibition’s standing on the international stage,” he said, noting its growth from roughly 60 exhibitors to a much larger scale.
DIMDEX 2026 will be held at the Qatar National Convention Centre from January 19 to 22 under the slogan “A Global Hub for Defence Innovations: Invest in Possibilities to Shape a Secure Tomorrow.” Al-Ansari highlighted that the event has been extended from three to four days due to growing demand over the years.
The latest edition will, for the first time, feature a series of exhibitor-led workshops on maritime security, Al-Ansari said.
The exhibition will showcase the latest defence technologies, ranging from radar systems to marine engines, from Qatar and participating countries. Nations taking part include the United States, Italy, Türkiye, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and France.
The event will also gather naval commanders, representatives from military and government entities, as well as defence companies.
A key part of DIMDEX is its main exhibition, the Middle East Naval Commanders Conference (MENC), which will take place under the theme “Defence Diplomacy and Maritime Security Challenges”.
The MENC is set to explore the commonalities between defence diplomacy and maritime security, serving as a platform for the exchange of expertise on the enhancement of stability at sea.
Qatar has stood as the third largest arms importer in the world after Ukraine and India between 2020 and 2024 after being the 10th largest in 2015–2019, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s (SIPRI) fact sheet.
The Gulf state’s main supplier between 2020-2024 was the United States, accounting for 48 percent of its imports. The U.S. is followed by Italy at 20 percent, the UK at 15 percent, and France at 14 percent.
