The Czech Republic was represented at the Land Forces 2026 international defence exhibition in Perth by a national pavilion organised under the PROPED economic diplomacy programme. A total of eight Czech companies participated: MESIT, Ray Service, a.s., Prusa Research, ProLab Engineering, OPTOKON, a.s., DSS, U&C UAS, and ELDIS Pardubice, s.r.o. The companies showcased their technologies and solutions for industrial, security, and defence applications while using the exhibition as a platform to establish and strengthen business relationships with Australian and international partners.

The participation of the Czech companies was supported by the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Australia, Jana Tyrer, who held a series of meetings throughout the exhibition with representatives of Czech companies, Australian institutions, and international partners.

According to the organisers, this year's edition attracted approximately 1,000 exhibitors from 60 countries, once again confirming Australia's significance as a promising market for advanced technologies and industrial cooperation. The exhibition provided Czech companies with an opportunity not only to present their capabilities to Australian stakeholders, but also to engage with businesses and institutions from across the broader Indo-Pacific region.

Throughout the exhibition, a number of meetings were held with representatives of the Australian federal and state governments, industry associations, and private-sector organisations. The Czech delegation also participated in a programme organised by Defence West, an organisation that supports the development of the defence industry, innovation, and the integration of local businesses into national and international supply chains in Western Australia.

An important part of the programme also included meetings with representatives of industry and business organisations operating in Western Australia. Discussions focused on opportunities for further development of Czech-Australian cooperation, the integration of Czech companies into supply chains, technological collaboration, and opportunities arising from the ongoing modernisation of Australia's defence capabilities.

The Czech pavilion was also visited by the newly appointed Ambassador of the European Union to Australia and the Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia. These visits demonstrated the strong interest of international partners in Czech technologies and the growing presence of Czech companies in the Australian market.

A particularly noteworthy outcome of the exhibition was achieved by Ray Service, a.s., which became the first Czech company to be admitted to the New Zealand Defence Industry Association (NZDIA). The company noted that this membership creates new opportunities for cooperation with New Zealand partners and further strengthens its presence in Australia and Oceania. During the exhibition, Ray Service also established new contacts and identified prospective partners for the further expansion of its activities in the New Zealand market.

The participation of Czech companies at Land Forces 2026 highlighted the potential for further development of Czech-Australian cooperation in innovation, advanced technologies, and industrial partnerships. Australia continues to invest heavily in the modernisation of its defence capabilities and the development of its domestic industrial base, with increasing emphasis on innovation, advanced technologies, and international industrial cooperation. In this context, Land Forces 2026 provided Czech companies with a valuable opportunity to expand their business activities in Australia while strengthening connections across the wider Indo-Pacific region.

Tomáš Kadlec
Economic Diplomat
Embassy of the Czech Republic in Canberra