IDEAS meaning in Country Specific ?

The International Defence Exhibition and Seminar, more commonly referred to as IDEAS, is a defence sector event, held biannually, in Pakistan. Since its inception by President Pervez Musharraf in 2000, it has grown to include more than 54,000 trade visitors, 290 delegates members (from 43 countries), 133 national exhibitors and 294 exhibitors from around the world in latest IDEAS 2016 held from 22 to 25 November 2016.

The Pakistan government attaches a high level of importance to IDEAS; despite the fact that it attracts a large number of delegates, it is seen as a vehicle for facilitating their own indigenous arms trade. The level of political involvement has been known to reach the highest echelons, with President Asif Ali Zardari personally inviting the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the event in 2008 in order to boost the chances of Paksitan's export of its indigenously developed al-Khalid main battle tanks.

The Defence Export Promotion Organisation or more simply DEPO, is the government agency responsible for the success and organisation of IDEAS. Typically they outsource some elements of production of the exhibition to private companies. In 2000 to 2006, Pegasus Consultancy Private Limited organised the event, but after the 2010 conference was forced to cancel because of the catastrophic floods which hit Pakistan late that year, the contract for production of the event was then awarded to Badar Expo Solutions. Assessing how the event had grown since its inaugural occurrence in 2000, speaking at the 'soft launch' for IDEAS 2012, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani declared the exhibition a "mega event, that has become a global event in a short span of eleven years."

Latest edition of IDEAS was held in 2016 (22-25 November 2016) and the event was organized by DEPO (Defence Export Promotion Organization) whereas it was inaugurated by Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on DAY ONE and President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain attended the strategic seminar as Chief Guest held on evening of 1st day (22 November) at Moven Pick Hotel Karachi. The event was heavily attended by local as well as international delegations from more than 43 countries. IDEAS 2016 witnessed 293 International Exhibitors, 133 National Exhibitors and 54,000 trade visitors. The event coordination matters were managed by DG DEPO Major General Agha Masood Akram, Brigadier Waheed Mumtaz, Colonel Fahim Imtiaz Abbassi and Major Ejaz Ahmed Bhatti.

IDEAS 2018 has been planned from 27 to 30 November 2018 at Karachi Expo Center and it is expected to be attended in a more befitting manner where 07-10 country pavilions are expected. Being 10th Edition, the event's special preparations have been geared up under the management of Major General Ahmed Mahmood Hayat and it is expected that IDEAS 2018 will break all the previous records of the exhibition.

The 11th Edition of IDEAS 2020 will be held at Expo centre Karachi on 24 November 2020.