By M.A. Kadir

Pix by Fadzil CD

LANGKAWI, May 19 – The Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA’25) is set to open its doors tomorrow with its largest-ever edition, drawing 860 companies from 24 countries and marking a significant milestone in Malaysia’s defence and commercial aerospace agenda.

The 17th edition of LIMA, held from May 20–24 at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre (MIEC) and Resort World Langkawi (RWL), is themed “Today’s Innovation, Tomorrow’s Achievement.” It is jointly organized by the Ministry of Defence and Global Exhibitions and Conferences (GEC) Sdn Bhd.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, who led a media tour of the site today, said preparations have been successfully completed and the event is expected to surpass previous records in scope and participation.

“This event strengthens Malaysia’s position as a key regional hub for defence and commercial aerospace cooperation,” he said.

LIMA’25 features 434 local and 426 international companies across 16,000 square metres, along with 15 national pavilions. A total of 140 official delegations from 46 countries, including ministers, defence chiefs and senior officials, are scheduled to attend.

The aerospace segment will feature, among others, 57 aircraft for aerial displays, including Russia’s Russian Knights and Indonesia’s Jupiter aerobatic teams.

Forty three static aircraft from local and international entities such as the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), Layang-Layang Flying Academy, Embraer (Brazil), HAL (India), and ATR (France/Italy).

Participants are from Brunei, Germany, Italy, Singapore, Russia, the United States, and more.

On the maritime front, 32 warships (19 local and 13 international) will be showcased.

International participants include Italy, Japan, Türkiye, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Russia, Thailand, Bangladesh, and the United States.

A total of 39 maritime assets will take part, exceeding the 28 vessels featured at LIMA’23.

Despite the aerospace and maritime, LIMA’25 also serves as a platform for signing of key MoUs in areas such as AI, satellite development, and the creation of an Aviation Centre of Excellence.

Launching of new local defence products, including a next-generation 4×4 armoured vehicle, hosting of strategic forums such as the Malaysia Maritime Conference (MMC) and “Pocket Talks”, are among several other sideline attractions.

On top of that, bilateral meetings between the Malaysian Defence Minister and counterparts from Türkiye, South Africa, Maldives, and India, are expected to take place.

Since its inception in 1991, LIMA has evolved into Southeast Asia’s premier defence and aerospace showcase. With participation levels and strategic engagement at an all-time high, LIMA’25 is expected to further solidify Malaysia’s standing in the global defence and security landscape.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khalid Nordin leads a media tour of the site