President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the Minister of State for Defence of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Lord Vernon Coaker, on September 30.

Operativ Media reports that the guest expressed his gratitude for the reception, noting that it was a great honor for him to visit Azerbaijan and meet with the Azerbaijani President.

Touching upon the importance of the "ADEX 2026" and "Securex Caspian" exhibitions held in Baku, Lord Vernon Coaker said his country is interested in participating in this event. He thanked President Ilham Aliyev for the high-level organization of the exhibitions.

Stating that Azerbaijan is a very important friendly country for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the guest emphasized their interest in continuing this friendship.

Expressing his gratitude to Lord Vernon Coaker for participating in the exhibitions, the head of state said that the ADEX exhibition has already become an important international event over many years.

President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that a new chapter has begun in the bilateral partnership between Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom—cooperation in the field of the defense industry.

The head of state noted that investments have been made in the defense industry in Azerbaijan for more than 20 years, and products are already being manufactured in this field for both domestic consumption and export. President Ilham Aliyev touched upon prospective cooperation with leading companies regarding the import of modern weapons and equipment to Azerbaijan, as well as the establishment of joint ventures in the country, emphasizing the importance of partnership with the United Kingdom in this regard.