Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth (RRM) will lead a high-level Indian delegation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to participate in the third World Defence Show (WDS) on February eight and nine, 2026. WDS is expected to host more than 700 exhibitors and around 400 official delegations, and the Indian delegation will comprise senior officers from the Department of Defence Production and the Armed Forces.

As part of India's participation, RRM will inaugurate the first-ever India Pavilion at WDS, spread over an area of 400 square metres, which will showcase the country's growing indigenous capabilities in defence manufacturing and technology. The pavilion will feature prominent public sector defence enterprises including Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL), Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWEIL), Munitions India Limited (MIL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), India Optel Limited (IOL), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Yantra India Limited (YIL).

These organisations will exhibit platforms and systems ranging from tanks and artillery gun systems to missiles, ammunition and radars, in addition to other support equipment, reflecting a broad portfolio of materiel and technology. On the sidelines of WDS, a bilateral meeting between the Raksha Rajya Mantri and his Saudi Arabian counterpart is planned and RRM will meet representatives of leading Saudi industry bodies to pursue enhanced defence cooperation and industrial collaboration.

The World Defence Show is a biennial international defence exhibition hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it holds strategic importance for the Indian defence industry as a platform to highlight indigenisation initiatives, advanced technologies and manufacturing capabilities. Participation is expected to support international partnerships within the global defence ecosystem and to present opportunities for public sector enterprises to engage with foreign industry and potential partners.