Estonia builds Asia-Pacific links as it looks to scale defence industry capabilities
Beyond robots, Estonia looks to export a range of niche defence solutions. (Photo: Milrem Robotics)
Collaboration between Estonian defence companies and well-aligned firms in Asia-Pacific will form a key part of Tallinn’s ambitions to significantly grow its defence industrial base.
Estonia is seeking to expand defence partnerships with “like-minded” countries in the Asia-Pacific as part of efforts to scale its domestic defence industrial base, while aiming to grow the sector from €730 million (US$870.31 million) in 2025 to €2 billion by 2030.
Siim Sukles, deputy secretary general for defence industry at the Estonian Ministry of Defence (MoD), told Shephard following a visit to Singapore that the country’s defence industry is a rapidly expanding, high-tech sector, but constrained by the limited size of its domestic market.
“One way to achieve this is through industrial cooperation and supporting collaboration between companies in
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