Preparations are underway for the inaugural First Balkan Shield – Defence Industry Expo & Summit (FBS-IES 2026), with organizers reporting strong interest from domestic and international defense companies ahead of the event, which will take place from Sept. 1-4 at Sarajevo’s Juan Antonio Samaranch Olympic Hall Zetra.
Around 50 exhibitors from Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad are expected to participate, while applications remain open for companies interested in showcasing their products, technologies and capabilities.
The exhibition is held under the institutional patronage of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Federal Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry and is supported by several of the country’s long-established defense manufacturers, including BINAS, BNT – Machinery and Hydraulics Factory, IGMAN, PRETIS, UNIS GINEX, TRZ, ZRAK and UNIS GROUP, which is also organizing the event.
Organizers said companies, institutions and business delegations from the Balkans, Türkiye, Egypt, China and the Czech Republic have expressed interest in participating. Representatives from Germany, along with other European and international partners, are also expected to take part in the conference and expert program.
The exhibition will cover the full defense industry value chain, bringing together manufacturers of weapons, ammunition, military equipment and protection systems, as well as companies specializing in metalworking, mechanical engineering, cybersecurity, unmanned systems, electronics, logistics, certification, research and development, academia and financial services.
More than 7,000 square meters of indoor and outdoor exhibition space will be available for product displays, equipment demonstrations, presentations and business meetings. Organizers said exhibitors will also have access to a central presentation area dedicated to new technologies, innovations and development projects.
The event will include an international conference and scientific program featuring discussions on defense industry development, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, industrial capacity, export policies, international cooperation and emerging security technologies. Representatives from the defense ministries of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Türkiye, as well as Germany’s Federal Ministry of Defence, security institutions, international organizations, academia and industry are expected to participate.
First Balkan Shield 2026 will also feature organized business-to-business (B2B), business-to-government (B2G) and networking meetings aimed at connecting manufacturers, suppliers, investors, government representatives and potential international partners.
Organizers said the exhibition is intended to serve as a platform for strengthening international cooperation, showcasing technological innovation and creating new business opportunities for the regional and global defense industry.