The Republic of Cyprus and France have taken another significant step towards strengthening their defence industrial partnership following the successful Cyprus–France Defence Industry Day, held in Paris on 19 June 2026 alongside the Eurosatory 2026 international defence and security exhibition.

The event was organised by the Directorate of Armaments and Defence Capabilities Development of the Cypriot Ministry of Defence in cooperation with the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA – Direction Générale de l’Armement). It brought together government officials, defence industry associations, investment promotion organisations and representatives of numerous Cypriot and French companies active across the defence, security and aerospace sectors.

Among the participating organisations were the Cyprus Defence, Security and Space Industries Cluster (CyDSIC), the Cyprus Association of Research and Innovation Enterprises (CARIE) and GICAT, the French association representing land and air-land defence and security industries. Investment promotion agencies Invest Cyprus and Business France also participated, reflecting the growing emphasis on industrial partnerships and cross-border investment.

During the conference, participants were presented with an overview of the rapidly developing Cypriot defence industrial ecosystem, including its expanding technological capabilities, research potential and increasing participation in European defence programmes. French officials, meanwhile, outlined the strategic priorities of France’s defence industry, highlighting future capability requirements, industrial cooperation opportunities and the importance of strengthening Europe’s defence technological and industrial base.

Discussions focused on expanding collaboration between companies from both countries through joint research and development projects, technology partnerships and participation in European Union defence initiatives. Particular attention was given to opportunities arising from European defence funding mechanisms and multinational industrial programmes designed to enhance Europe’s strategic autonomy and defence resilience.

A major highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CyDSIC, CARIE and GICAT. The agreement establishes a formal framework for long-term cooperation between the Cypriot and French defence industrial ecosystems and aims to facilitate stronger institutional links, greater information exchange and increased business opportunities for companies from both countries.

The organisers described the agreement as an important milestone that will help encourage innovation, promote industrial networking and support the development of collaborative projects in advanced defence technologies.

The conference also featured a series of business-to-business (B2B) meetings, allowing Cypriot and French companies to discuss potential partnerships, identify investment opportunities and explore future cooperation in defence technology development, manufacturing and security-related capabilities.

According to the Cypriot Ministry of Defence, the event demonstrated the growing importance of defence industrial cooperation between Cyprus and France and reinforced the already strong bilateral relationship shared by the two countries. It also highlighted the increasing role of the Cypriot defence industry within the wider European defence landscape, particularly through research, innovation and participation in multinational capability development programmes.

The Ministry expressed its appreciation to all participating organisations and companies for contributing to the success of the event and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the continued development of Cyprus’ domestic defence industry. It also reiterated its determination to strengthen international partnerships that enhance national security, technological innovation and the competitiveness of Cyprus’ defence sector within Europe and beyond.