PARIS — Armenian Minister of High-Tech Industry Mkhitar Hayrapetyan visited Paris at the invitation of French Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Catherine Vautrin to participate in Eurosatory 2026, the international defense technology exhibition.

“With the support of the Armenian Ministry of High-Tech Industry, 30 Armenian defense industry companies — 18 as exhibitors and 12 as visitors — are participating in Eurosatory 2026 under one unified pavilion, presenting Armenia’s manufacturing and research potential on an international platform,” Hayrapetyan wrote on Facebook.

“Armenian-French technological cooperation gained new momentum following French President Emmanuel Macron’s official visit to Armenia on May 5 of this year. The memorandum signed between Armenia’s Ministry of High-Tech Industry and the Ministry of the Armed Forces of the French Republic has opened new opportunities for both countries, and this visit marks the practical launch of those agreements.

“Held since 1967, this year’s event has brought together more than 2,300 companies from 66 countries, with 42 national pavilions. More than 120 discussions and demonstrations are planned as part of the event. The agenda focuses on prospects for cooperation in the defense industry, unmanned systems, reconnaissance technologies, modern armaments, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, as well as development trends in the sector and innovative solutions to emerging challenges.

“The development of a defense industry complex equipped with advanced technologies is one of the Armenian government’s key priorities. The prestigious Eurosatory 2026 event is an unprecedented opportunity for our country to establish international ties in the defense industry, expand manufacturing and research capacities, and explore foreign markets,” the minister wrote.