Defence industry cooperation with universities and foreign chambers discussed at Advisory Council meeting

The seventh meeting of Latvia’s Defence Industry Advisory Council took place at the Ministry of Defence, focusing on cooperation between the defence industry and universities, potential collaboration formats with foreign chambers of commerce, and other key issues related to the development of the sector.

During the meeting, Minister of Defence Andris Sprūds highlighted that Latvia’s defence budget is expected to reach 4.91% of GDP next year, underlining the priority of strengthening national security and the combat capabilities of the National Armed Forces, while simultaneously supporting the development of the domestic defence industry and innovation capacity.

Participants were also informed about the launch of the VANTAGE project, supported by the European Defence Fund, which aims to develop next-generation tactical unmanned aerial systems. The project represents one of the most significant defence R&D initiatives led by Latvia, creating new opportunities for local industry, increasing competitiveness, and facilitating integration into international supply chains.

The meeting placed strong emphasis on cooperation with higher education institutions, recognising the importance of closer interaction between science, industry, and defence in the development and commercialisation of new defence technologies. It was noted that the Ministry of Defence has recently signed cooperation agreements with the University of Latvia, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Riga Technical University, and Riga Stradiņš University, identifying priority areas such as defence-oriented research, innovation and technology transfer, and participation in NATO and EU research programmes.

In addition, proposals were presented regarding future cooperation with foreign chambers of commerce and industry, with the aim of establishing thematic platforms for more focused discussions on export promotion and investment attraction. This direction will be implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Economics, the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Defence Industry Advisory Council was established earlier this year to ensure structured dialogue between public institutions and industry, provide recommendations, support sector initiatives, and coordinate the implementation of Latvia’s defence industry development strategy.

The Council includes representatives from the Ministry of Defence, the Latvian Security and Defence Industries Federation, the Latvian Confederation of Industrial Development, the Employers’ Confederation of Latvia, the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Military Technology, Drone and Robotics Association, SAPRA – the International Association of Defence Product Manufacturers, and the Financial Industry Association.