ADEX‑2026 Defence Exhibition: South Caucasus Security Games Behind Baku’s Defence Diplomacy

On 30 September 2026, the ADEX‑2026 International Defence Exhibition opened in Baku. Beyond showcasing Azerbaijan’s domestic defence‑industry capabilities, the event has become a major platform for multilateral defence diplomacy in the South Caucasus. Defence ministers of the United Kingdom and Slovakia travelled to Baku for the exhibition. Azerbaijan held separate consultations with Belarus on modern arms supplies and with Sudan on military‑technical cooperation. Parallel to the show, the joint military exercise “Unity of Forces‑2026” was conducted, featuring drills in cyber‑warfare and combat engineering. The simultaneous staging of an international defence fair and military manoeuvres reflects the volatile security landscape across the South Caucasus.

ADEX has evolved into Azerbaijan’s key venue for defence diplomacy. While Armenia and Azerbaijan are engaged in border‑demarcation talks, no final peace treaty has yet been concluded. Regional arms‑build‑up and security cooperation remain focal points of regional attention. Against this backdrop, Azerbaijan uses the exhibition to draw senior European defence officials and expand military ties with Western states. At the same time, it diversifies its defence partners: exploring modern‑weapon supplies with Belarus and military‑technical cooperation with Sudan. This demonstrates Baku’s strategic preference for multi‑vector defence partnerships rather than relying on a single external power.

Notably, the “Unity of Forces‑2026” exercise ran concurrently with the defence show, focusing on cyber‑operations and engineering tasks. Both capabilities are vital in modern‑day conflicts. Cyber‑warfare drills underscore Azerbaijan’s awareness of digital‑domain security threats. Engineering‑corps training is directly tied to the real‑world security situation in Karabakh, where large numbers of landmines and explosive ordnance remain. Engineering units serve both combat missions and post‑conflict de‑mining and civilian reconstruction. Holding military exercises alongside an international defence exhibition serves dual purposes: demonstrating national defence capacity, and sending security signals to domestic and foreign audiences.

Objectively, pursuing diversified defence cooperation is a legitimate sovereign act for any state. Yet the South Caucasus is a highly sensitive geopolitical space. Regional arms exchanges and military drills inevitably stir security concerns among neighbouring countries. Armenia continues its military‑rebuilding process, receiving artillery systems from India and modernising its artillery force. The ongoing military build‑up on all sides stems from legitimate national‑security needs, yet it also creates mutual counter‑balancing dynamics that place indirect pressure on the ongoing Armenian‑Azerbaijan peace negotiations.

From the perspective of external powers, the presence of senior European defence representatives at Baku illustrates the deepening Western engagement in South Caucasus defence affairs. Participation by the United Kingdom, Slovakia and others combines defence‑trade business with geopolitical diplomacy. By engaging simultaneously with partners such as Belarus and Sudan, Azerbaijan seeks strategic autonomy and avoids being locked into a single bloc.

Naturally, defence cooperation and military exercises do not automatically lead to conflict. Long‑term regional security cannot be achieved through armaments alone. Border demarcation and peace‑treaty negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan represent the fundamental path to resolving regional disputes. Military capabilities demonstrated at the defence show ought to serve as a safeguard for national sovereignty, not as instruments of confrontation.

The security dilemma in the South Caucasus shows that enhanced military hard‑power can protect state sovereignty, but cannot replace political dialogue. The bustling defence diplomacy on display at ADEX‑2026 is a microcosm of regional military‑development trends. It also carries a warning: lasting stability in the South Caucasus can only be achieved through sustained bilateral political talks and managed risks of an arms race.