Vietnam Is Getting Two Massive Arms Shows Just Months Apart

Hanoi now joins the circuit of regional capitals boasting high profile arms shows. These trade events are huge draws for military-industrial companies and various service providers looking to win procurement contracts with the national government and the local defense ministry. While Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok are more familiar locations for exhibitors, Hanoi always proved a difficult market to explore. That is, until two new arms shows were announced just months apart.

DSE Vietnam 2019, which is organized by the same team behind the Philippines’ ADAS, is taking place from October 2 to 4. Six months later, VIDSE 2020 happens on March 17 until 19. Both are taking place in the capital.

Three decades of uninterrupted economic growth allowed Vietnam to maintain a sizable military with high preparedness. When compared to regional heavyweights such as Indonesia and Thailand, the People’s Army’s manpower ranks the biggest among ASEAN member states. There’s also growing evidence Vietnam’s state-owned enterprises rival Singapore in the scale and variety of their military products. In 2018 annual spending on national defense topped $5 billion and this spurred the need for a dedicated arms show. In previous years, the closest equivalent to one was the Homeland Security Expo organized by an Indian company. Now Expo Services Pvt. Ltd. is collaborating with the Ministry of Public Security and the Department of Armed Equipment and Logistics for DSE Vietnam 2019 at the International Centre of Exhibition in Hanoi.

DSE Vietnam 2019 caters to the armed forces and the government’s domestic security needs. Several conferences are scheduled during the show with topics separated between the air, land, and naval branches. The organizers are now accepting inquiries from exhibitors and visitors. To learn more about it, organizations are encouraged to join DSE Vietnam 2019’s official mailing list or fill out a contact form.

Less than six months after DSE Vietnam 2019 another arms show is scheduled at a different venue. From March 17 until 19 the Vietnam International Defense and Security Exhibition or VIDSE 2020 is being held at the National Convention Center in Hanoi. VIDSE 2020 was conceived by Clarion Events, the company responsible for some of the largest arms shows in Europe and the Middle East. This year marks the first iteration of Clarion’s DSEI Japan that’s being hyped as the country’s largest ever arms show.

For VIDSE 2020 Clarion is partnering with two other organizers for a show that will attract at least 120 exhibitors and draw several thousand professional visitors. With a whole year to go before it starts, the organizers are already incentivizing participants with exclusive access to Vietnam’s military leadership and rich networking opportunities. Other perks are meetings with VIP delegations from ASEAN member states; the chance to network with Vietnam’s procurement agencies; opportunities for exposure and sponsorships in an emerging market; and gaining access to both national and regional military-industrial projects. An exclusive brochure for VIDSE 2020 does share a few reasons for attending–Vietnam enjoys one of the larger defense budgets in the region–and inquiries on pricing and registration are now open.

Aside from getting to see products displayed by exhibitors, those who visit VIDSE 2020 have ample opportunities to mingle with professionals from the government and private sector. Conferences are scheduled too and, for maximum appeal, different types of military equipment will be put on display outside the venue. The organizers behind VIDSE 2020 have released useful details about their sponsorship packages and visitors are encouraged to get in touch now for any questions about the show.

Vietnam’s emergence as an attractive destination for arms shows no doubt stems from its consistent economic rise and the genuine risks to its territorial boundaries that justifies serious military spending. Should DSE Vietnam 2019 and VIDSE 2020 prove equally successful it’s reasonable to anticipate future installments and even more events with a domain-specific focus (think of air shows or marine exhibitions) in the coming years.