Military on SAUDI VISION 2030 Intelligence Platform

How to Invest in Defence in Saudi Arabia

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

For investors asking how to invest in defence in Saudi Arabia, the opportunity starts with GAMI licensing, SAMI partnerships, industrial participation rules, and Vision 2030’s 50 percent localisation target.

Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s largest defence spenders, with annual military expenditure consistently ranking in the global top five. Vision 2030 has set an ambitious target of localising 50 percent of military procurement spending by 2030, transforming the Kingdom from a pure defence importer into a significant defence manufacturer. This localisation mandate creates a multi-billion-dollar industrial opportunity for international defence companies willing to partner with Saudi entities.

Investing in Saudi Defence

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Saudi defence sector investment is shaped by SAMI’s role as national industrial champion, GAMI’s licensing regime, and Vision 2030’s mandate to localise 50 percent of military equipment spending by 2030. For foreign contractors, the opportunity is tied to joint ventures, offsets, MRO, technology transfer, and Saudi supply-chain participation.

Market Overview

Saudi Arabia is consistently among the world’s top five defence spenders, with an annual military budget of approximately SAR 270-300 billion (USD 72-80 billion). The Kingdom has historically been almost entirely dependent on imports for its defence equipment and services, sourcing from the United States, United Kingdom, France, and other allied nations.

SAMI (Saudi Arabian Military Industries)

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

SAMI (Saudi Arabian Military Industries): Saudi Arabia

SAMI (Saudi Arabian Military Industries) is the PIF-owned national defence company established in 2017 to develop and manufacture military equipment inside Saudi Arabia.

For the query “SAMI,” the key point is that the company is Vision 2030’s main industrial vehicle for localizing 50 percent of Saudi military spending by 2030, moving procurement from imports toward domestic manufacturing, maintenance, and technology transfer.

Overview

Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s largest defence spenders, historically importing the vast majority of its military equipment from the United States, United Kingdom, France, and other allied nations. SAMI was established to reverse this dependence by building a domestic defence manufacturing industry capable of producing and maintaining advanced military systems within the Kingdom.