Kuala lumpur: The Defence Ministry has secured and signed 24 contracts and industrial collaboration programmes (ICPs) worth RM3.54 billion at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) and National Security (NATSEC) Asia 2026 exhibition. Among these deals are 12 contracts, four letters of intent worth RM1.01 billion, and eight ICP credit agreements worth RM1.40 billion.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin mentioned that the duration of these contracts would depend on the shipbuilding companies and original equipment manufacturers involved. He noted that the number of contracts and ICPs obtained at this exhibition was fewer than those at the exhibition two years ago.

The minister clarified that the decrease in signed contracts was due to a freeze on procurement consideration processes earlier in the year, which lasted for two to three months due to unavoidable circumstances. However, he reassured that this did not mean the end of procurements. "That doesn't mean there are no more procurements, but because for two months, three months we haven't implemented any process, so what we signed is only what we saw today," he stated during a press conference on the awarding and signing of contracts and ICPs.

The 19th edition of the exhibition saw record participation, with 1,456 exhibiting companies from 63 countries, compared to 1,324 companies from 60 countries in 2024.