Indian defence firms, including IdeaForge, Zen Technologies Limited, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and others, showcased their capabilities at the Mini DefExpo held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on April 13, 2025.

The event was jointly facilitated by the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, and the Federation of Indian Chambers & Commerce Industry (FICCI). Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth and Tanzania's Defence Minister Stergomena Lawrence Tax inaugurated the expo.

IdeaForge presented its flagship products, Switch and Netra UAVs, which are widely used by armed forces and paramilitary units. Vishal, Lead Business Development for IdeaForge, highlighted that the company's platforms have completed over 650,000 missions and hold around 50 patents.

He emphasised the potential for UAV technology to transform Tanzania through applications such as property mapping, transmission line inspections, and military use cases.

HAL showcased a range of products, including fixed-wing aircraft like the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and helicopters such as the LUH and LCH (Prachand), which are used by Indian military forces. K Ramesh, General Manager of HAL's Helicopter MRO Division, noted strong interest from Tanzanian military officials in maritime role machines like Dornier aircraft and Mark-3 MR Navy helicopters.

Zen Technologies Limited introduced its simulators for armed forces training and anti-drone systems. Captain Sanjay Kumar, GM exports for Zen Technologies, described their anti-drone systems as highly advanced with integrated radar, RF detectors, cameras, and hard-kill measures. He also mentioned other products like thermal cameras and remote-controlled weapon systems.

The expo featured participation from 22 Indian companies showcasing India's self-reliance in defence production and advanced technologies.

The event aimed to strengthen defence cooperation between India and Tanzania. India has been expanding its defence partnerships with Tanzania through initiatives such as joint training programs and trilateral naval exercises. The longstanding collaboration dates back to a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2003.

ANI