Malaysia–Saudi Defence Industry Partnership Strengthened with New MoU in Riyadh

RIYADH, Feb 9: Malaysia’s Boustead Holdings Berhad (BHB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Saudi Arabia-based Ozone for Military Industries Company LLC (OMI) to explore strategic defense cooperation, marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral defense industry ties.

The MoU signing ceremony was witnessed by Malaysia’s defense minister, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, during the World Defense Show (WDS) 2026 in Riyadh.

BHB, a company owned by the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT) and a key player in Malaysia’s defense ecosystem, formalized the agreement through its group managing director, Dato’ Indera Ir. Dr. Ahmad Sabirin Arshad. OMI was represented by its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Mustapha Skhiri.

OMI is a Riyadh-based defense company registered under the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) and focuses on advancing Saudi Arabia’s defense autonomy in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 agenda.

The MoU will serve as a framework for exploring collaboration in technology transfer, research and development (R&D), and multi-domain systems integration across land, sea, air, space, and cyber domains.

The partnership is expected to support Malaysia’s National Defense Industry Policy (DIPN) by enhancing the capabilities, competitiveness, and technological sophistication of the local defense industry.