Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles will join senior defence leaders in Perth this week for the Indian Ocean Defence & Security Conference and Exhibition (IODS 2026).
The event runs from 26–28 May at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre and is expected to draw senior decision-makers from Australia and overseas, including Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AO RAN, Australia’s Chief of Navy and incoming Chief of the Defence Force; Admiral Stephen Koehler, Commander of the United States Pacific Fleet; and Australian astronaut and Australian Space Agency director Katherine Bennell-Pegg.
Organisers said more than 250 companies from 12 nations will participate, alongside more than 100 international and domestic delegations. The industry exhibition is expected to be larger than in 2024, with organisers stating it has expanded by nearly 200 per cent.
The conference agenda is set to focus on AUKUS, Indo-Pacific security, sovereign capability, secure supply chains and defence industry development. The event is also positioned as a platform to highlight Western Australia’s role in defence capability and industry growth.
Workforce development is also part of the program, with organisers forecasting more than 1,100 students to take part in a Careers Day on 28 May, alongside programs aimed at veteran transition and educator engagement on 27 May. Bennell-Pegg is scheduled to address career pathways in space and advanced technologies.
IODS 2026 is set to include 78 conference and presentation sessions across three days. Organisers said pooling arrangements will apply in the IODS Conference Room due to limited capacity, with a single television camera position and audio for keynote addresses and panel sessions.
The event is presented by Defence West and the Western Australian Government, with the Perth USAsia Centre listed as the conference program partner.
