The National Defense Industrial Organization (NDIA) signed a cooperation agreement with the Estonian Defense Industry Association (EDIA) to support mutual objectives, the organizations jointly announced March 22.
The agreement was announced as Estonian defense companies are touring the U.S. to intensify cooperation with its defense industry. The EDIA delegation’s program also partially overlaps with the official visit of Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas to the U.S.
The announcement noted Estonian defense companies are increasingly focused on export markets, focused on “world-class competence in smart technologies, cyber and data security, border defence and modern military technology.”
“The fact that Estonia and the United States are close allies in security provides a solid foundation for mutual cooperation in the defense industry. One of the main objectives of the visit is to lay this foundation for the Estonian defense industry enterprises,” Rõivas said in a statement.
EDIA’s partnership with NDIA is expected to open new opportunities for cooperation with large international industries.
“Entering the U.S. market is not simple and the aim of the current cooperation document is to intensify the exchange of information between the defence industries of the two countries. This will give Estonian companies new export opportunities for their goods and services,” Kuldar Väärsi, chairman of the management board of the EDIA, said in a statement.
The EDIA was founded in 2009 and acts to represent security and defense industries at the national and international level in Estonia as well as promoting and managing the industries’ export activities.