International defense fair IDEF starts in Istanbul

The 12th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) will be held in Istanbul on May 5-8. The fair will be held under the auspices of the Ministry of National Defense, under the responsibility of the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation (TAFF) and in the cooperation of Tüyap Fairs and Exhibitions Organization. 

IDEF '15 is expected to bring together more than 400 companies from 32 countries. The 2013 fair brought nearly 800 companies from 51 countries, with a total of 54,210 local and foreign professionals from 111 countries visiting the show. 

The IDEF has been held every other year since 1993. The fair has played an essential role in the development of friendship and cooperation between participant countries, according to the press release on the fair's website. 

"IDEF is the biggest defense industry fair in the Eurasian region and one of the top four in the world with an increasing trend in the number of participating countries, delegations and companies," the statement said.