Main headlines from this issue

Highlights: GICA spring conference

The Global Industrial Cooperation Association (GICA) held its spring conference in Oslo, Norway, on 14–15 June. Nearly 260 delegates from 30 countries were in attendance, the largest turnout since before the pandemic emerged in 2020. CTO provides the highlights.

Malaysia renews focus on design, systems integration

Malaysia’s new industrial cooperation guidelines will renew its emphasis on technology-sharing, according to Dr Sharoul Jambari, CEO of Malaysia’s offset authority, the Technology Depository Agency (TDA). The agency is now helping local industry to better absorb these opportunities.

Swiss offset law promises “certainty and transparency”

Following several government reviews, armasuisse is preparing to ratify its offset policy into law. Speaking with CTO, Simon Hufschmid, Head of International Law & Compliance at armasuisse, explains why the government has taken this step.

India, US break deadlock over predator drones

India has finalised a USD3bn contract to acquire 31 MQ-9B (Predator B) drones from General Atomics with transfer of technology. The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) approved the acquisition under a government-to-government framework on 15 June, one week before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the United States.

Ukraine in talks with European firms, insists on co-production

Ukraine is in talks with companies in France, Germany, Italy, and Eastern Europe to manufacture critical platforms in Ukraine as the country continues to fend off the Russian invasion, according to Sergiy Boyev, Deputy Minister for Strategic Industries in Ukraine.

President Macron: EU should avoid “what’s on the shelves”

French President Emmanuel Macron is urging European nations to reduce their dependence on US-made weapons. The president’s comments come as the European Union rolls out new defence funds and select European countries envisage re-adopting offset-like policies.