Doha, 21 Jan 2025

During the 2026 DIMDEX exhibition in Doha, defence leaders from Peru and Argentina shared their appreciation for Qatar’s hospitality and expressed strong interest in expanding military and defence cooperation with the country.

The head of the Peruvian Defence Forces delegation thanked Qatar for the warm welcome, describing Doha as a beautiful and highly modern city. He also invited people in Qatar to visit Peru, encouraging them to experience the country’s rich and ancient cultural heritage. He said Peru is home to a civilization that dates back to the Inca Empire and continues to thrive today.

Speaking about bilateral relations, the Peruvian delegation leader said the current relationship between the Peruvian and Qatari armed forces is already very positive, but both sides are eager to strengthen it further. He praised the Peruvian Embassy in Doha for its strong support and active role in advancing defence cooperation.

To move from dialogue to action, Peru has submitted proposals for joint military activities. These include formal invitations for the Qatar Armed Forces to take part in major multinational exercises hosted by Peru, such as SAIL 2027 and the well-known UNITAS naval exercise. UNITAS is a long-standing international exercise, and Peru is leading its organization this year. The delegation confirmed that all invitations will be officially delivered through diplomatic channels with the involvement of the Peruvian ambassador in Doha, showing a clear and structured commitment to deeper military partnership.

Argentina also shared its views on cooperation during the exhibition. The Readiness and Training Commander of the Argentine Navy said this was Argentina’s second time participating in DIMDEX, but the first time Argentine naval officers attended in person. He described the exhibition as a valuable platform to meet defence industry leaders and naval counterparts from around the world, particularly from Qatar.

He highlighted the strong role of Argentina’s ambassador in Doha in promoting bilateral relations, pointing to cultural initiatives such as the introduction of polo in Qatar for the first time and the Qatar-Argentina Cultural Year, which helped promote cultural exchange between the two nations.

From a defence perspective, the Argentine Navy commander said Argentina is currently focused on modernising its naval forces after many years without new ships or equipment. He noted that events like DIMDEX provide important opportunities to explore partnerships, technology options, and potential acquisitions to support this modernization process.

He added that Argentina has highly skilled professionals and valuable experience in the defence sector. Although parts of the country’s defence industry were weakened in the past, he said Argentina is rebuilding its capabilities and remains optimistic about future cooperation with Qatar. He expressed hope for practical and long-term collaboration, especially in naval and defence-related fields.

Together, the messages from both Peru and Argentina reflect growing interest from Latin American defence partners in strengthening ties with Qatar, combining military cooperation, industry engagement, and cultural exchange to build lasting relationships.