SAHA-2026: Azerbaijan explores new defence partnerships at Istanbul arms fair PHOTO

Azerbaijan’s Minister of Defence Industry, Vugar Mustafayev, has held a series of high-level meetings on the sidelines of the V International Defence and Aerospace Industry Exhibition SAHA-2026 in Istanbul, the ministry said.

According to the Ministry of Defence Industry, Mustafayev met with Zaza Chkhaidze, Deputy Commander of the Georgian Defence Forces; Giacinto Ottaviani, Director for National Armaments at Italy’s Ministry of Defence; Hideki Fukawa, Adviser at Japan’s Defence Industry Cooperation Directorate; Philip Stewart, Operations Director of the European branch of the US-based Jones Group; Aziz Igamnazarov, First Deputy Head of the Defence Industry Agency under Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Defence; and Bello Mohammed Matawalle, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence.

The discussions focused on assessing the current state of bilateral cooperation, with both sides underlining the importance of mutual exchange of experience, production capabilities and technological expertise.

The parties also explored new avenues for partnership, including the application of advanced and innovative technologies, as well as strengthening cooperation in research and development.

By Aghakazim Guliyev