
Localisation in Saudi military industries rises to 19.35%
RIYADH —The localization rate of military industries in Saudi Arabia rose to 19.35% in 2024, exceeding the 2023 target of approximately 12.5%, according to the localization rate index, one of the key indicators of Saudi's Vision 2030.
The military industries aim to achieve a 50% localization rate by 2030, a step that reflects rapid progress. The index recorded a remarkable increase between 2021 and 2023, increasing by more than 12 percentage points in two years, exceeding the annual targets set for 2022 and 2023.
The Governor of the General Authority for Military Industries(GAMI), Eng. Ahmed Al-Ohali, said: "This progress is the result of the efforts made by the Authority and its partners in the military, security, and private sectors, since its establishment in 2017, to enact regulations and legislation related to the sector, enabling investors to engage in military industries activities, in addition to the supply chain project aimed at localizing more military spending and supporting the national economy."
Saudi Arabia's military spending has grown annually since 1960, reaching approximately 4.5%, reaching $75.8 billion by 2024, according to a previous statement by GAMI. This makes Saudi Arabia the 5th -largest country in the world and the first in the Arab world in terms of military spending.
Al-Ohali's remarks came during his speech at the 25th Global Defense and Aerospace Strategies Conference held in Antalya, Turkey.
The conference was organized by the Defense, Aerospace and Defense Industries Exporters Association (DASI) and the Presidency of Defense Industries of Turkey (SSB).
The event was attended by Professor Haluk Görgün, Chairman of the Turkish Defense Industries Authority (SSB), and was attended by CEOs and business development managers representing major industrial and defense companies from around the world.
© Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Gulf Business
2 hours ago
- Gulf Business
Innovation, expansion, IPO: SMC Healthcare's Bassam Chahine charts its ambitious growth
Image: Supplied As Saudi Arabia intensifies efforts to diversify its economy under Vision 2030, the healthcare sector emerges as a pivotal focus. The company recently initiated plans for an initial public offering (IPO) on the Saudi stock exchange, collaborating with banks such as EFG Hermes and SNB Capital to facilitate the process. This strategic move aims to bolster SMC's expansion, including the development of three new hospitals in northern Riyadh, thereby more than doubling its current bed capacity. In this interview with Gulf Business , CEO Bassam Chahine discusses the company's growth strategy, digital innovations, and its alignment with the kingdom's evolving healthcare landscape. SMC's IPO marks a major milestone in your 25-year journey. What strategic goals are you looking to achieve through this listing, and how does it support your expansion into Northern Riyadh? The IPO is a natural evolution of our 25-year legacy in Riyadh and marks a pivotal chapter in our growth journey. Since launching as a single-day surgery centre, we have transformed into one of the leading multi-specialty healthcare providers in the kingdom. This listing will allow us to accelerate our expansion plans, particularly in Northern Riyadh — one of the capital's fastest-growing corridors. Our three new hospitals are strategically locate in rapidly developing neighbourhoods tied to giga-projects such as New Murabba, NHC suburbs and North Pole. Once operational, they will more than double our capacity to over 1,275 beds, significantly strengthening our footprint in Riyadh's fastest-growing healthcare corridor. The IPO will help us execute this roadmap efficiently, ensuring we are well positioned to meet future demand and remain at the forefront of healthcare delivery in the capital. Read: With three new hospitals under development and the capacity set to more than double, how is SMC preparing to meet the operational demands and talent needs of this significant scale-up? We are scaling with discipline. We have centralised key operational functions such as revenue cycle management, procurement, HR, and IT, which reduces overhead duplication as we grow. From an infrastructure perspective, we've invested early in systems and workflows that allow us to integrate new facilities seamlessly. On the talent front, SMC Healthcare has a long-standing reputation for attracting world-class clinicians and specialists. Our fixed salary model incentivises long-term commitment, and we complement this with robust professional development programmes. We are also investing in automation and AI tools to streamline clinical and administrative processes, which allows our staff to focus on patient care. The company has posted impressive financial performance, with profit margins more than doubling in three years. What are the key levers driving this growth, and how do you plan to sustain it post-IPO? Our margin expansion—from 5.3 per cent in 2021 to 12.9 per cent in 2024 — has been driven by three deliberate strategic levers. First, we've shifted away from long-term care to higher-margin acute specialties like cardiology, orthopedics, and pediatrics. Second, we've doubled down on outpatient services, which are more scalable and structurally profitable. Third, our digital infrastructure — including our proprietary mobile app and AI-integrated systems, has improved operational efficiency across the board. Post-IPO, we will continue this strategy by optimising our specialty mix, driving higher patient volumes through new outpatient clinics, and maintaining a lean, tech-enabled operating model. As our new hospitals are coming online, we expect to unlock further operating leverage. SMC has embraced AI, digital tools, and telemedicine early. How central is digital transformation to your patient care model and competitive edge in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape? Digital transformation is integral to our care model and a key differentiator for SMC. Our in-house developed mobile app has over 83,000 users and accounts for 62 per cent of bookings. It handles everything from registration, payments, online check in up to prescription access. This has halved patient waiting times and improved patient throughput. We are also among the first in the kingdom to integrate AI into diagnostics and lab result interpretation. This enhances diagnostic accuracy, speeds up clinical workflows, and supports personalised care delivery. Our tech-first approach not only boosts operational efficiency but ensures that we continue to lead in patient experience, which is increasingly central to competitive healthcare. With the kingdom's Vision 2030 pushing public-private healthcare partnerships, how do you see SMC's role evolving in this new ecosystem — and what opportunities do you see beyond Riyadh? Vision 2030 is unlocking significant opportunities for private healthcare providers. We're already a frontrunner — SMC Healthcare was selected as the preferred bidder to operate the kingdom's first mental health facility under a PPP model in partnership with Dr Ebel Kliniken, and HealthGate. This underscores our capability and credibility as a strategic partner to the government. Our immediate focus remains Riyadh, where demand continues to surge. Northern Riyadh alone will need thousands of new hospital beds by 2035. We're addressing this head-on by becoming the largest private operator in that region. That said, the PPP framework opens new doors across the kingdom — and when the time is right, we will evaluate opportunities in other high-growth cities with the same disciplined, data-driven approach that has defined our growth so far.


Arabian Post
4 hours ago
- Arabian Post
Aramco's $5bn Bond Sale Highlights Investor Appetite Amid Market Volatility
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Aramco has successfully raised $5 billion through a three-part dollar-denominated bond issuance, marking its return to the international debt market. The offering comprises five-year, ten-year, and thirty-year tranches, with the longest maturity attracting nearly half of the total proceeds. The 30-year tranche, amounting to approximately $2.5 billion, was priced at a spread of 185 basis points over U.S. Treasuries, reflecting strong investor demand despite prevailing market uncertainties. The five-year and ten-year tranches were priced at spreads of 80 and 130 basis points over Treasuries, respectively. These tighter spreads indicate robust confidence in Aramco's creditworthiness and the broader appeal of long-dated corporate debt. ADVERTISEMENT Aramco's bond sale comes amid a backdrop of heightened volatility in the U.S. Treasury market, with 30-year yields fluctuating due to concerns over fiscal policy and rising national debt. Despite these challenges, investors have shown a keen interest in long-term corporate bonds, as evidenced by similar issuances from Alphabet, Siemens, and Snam, which have also been well-received. The success of Aramco's bond offering underscores a broader trend where investors are seeking higher yields through long-duration corporate debt, even as government bond yields remain volatile. This shift is partly driven by the search for stable returns in a low-interest-rate environment and concerns over inflation and fiscal sustainability. Aramco's move aligns with its strategic objectives under Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan, aiming to diversify the kingdom's economy beyond oil. The funds raised are expected to support Aramco's international expansion and investment in non-oil sectors, reinforcing its commitment to long-term growth and diversification. The bond issuance also reflects Aramco's proactive approach to capital management, leveraging favourable market conditions to secure funding at competitive rates. By tapping into the global debt market, Aramco demonstrates its financial resilience and adaptability in navigating complex economic landscapes.


Arabian Post
4 hours ago
- Arabian Post
Saudi Push Reshapes OPEC+ Oil Production Strategy
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman's tenure as Saudi Arabia's energy minister has marked a decisive shift in OPEC+ dynamics, culminating in a significant production decision that underscores Riyadh's growing influence within the cartel. The latest OPEC+ meeting saw Saudi Arabia successfully advocate for a third consecutive super-sized monthly output increase, a move that has reshaped the alliance's approach to oil supply management despite opposition from key players such as Russia. Since assuming office six years ago, Prince Abdulaziz has positioned Saudi Arabia as a firm leader within OPEC+, emphasising discipline and adherence to agreed production quotas. This approach contrasts with the historically more conciliatory stance the kingdom sometimes took within the cartel. The current strategy reflects a broader ambition to reclaim market share lost to non-compliant members and emerging producers outside the alliance's remit. ADVERTISEMENT The decision to boost output again—by approximately 500,000 barrels per day—signals a willingness to absorb short-term price volatility in favour of longer-term market dominance. Riyadh's strategy appears geared towards punishing those within OPEC+ who have routinely exceeded their quotas, thereby undermining the cartel's collective efforts to control supply and sustain prices. Saudi Arabia's emphasis on stringent compliance aims to reinforce OPEC+ cohesion, even at the risk of dampening crude prices temporarily. Russia's resistance to the output increase highlighted fissures within OPEC+ as Moscow has consistently advocated a more cautious production approach, citing concerns over oversupply and the fragility of global demand recovery. Russia's stance reflects a balancing act between maximising revenue and preserving the alliance's unity. However, Saudi Arabia's assertiveness in pushing the hike through demonstrates Riyadh's readiness to leverage its dominant production capacity and market position to set the cartel's agenda. Global oil markets responded to the output hike by seeing a downward adjustment in prices, reflecting the increased supply entering the market. This shift contrasts with the supply restraint policies of previous years, which had been instrumental in stabilising prices amid fluctuating demand and geopolitical uncertainty. Market analysts note that the Saudi-led increase could signal a new phase in OPEC+ policy, one in which Riyadh is prioritising market share recovery over price support. The broader context of this development involves multiple factors. The energy transition and climate policies worldwide have added pressure on oil producers, particularly those heavily reliant on hydrocarbons. Saudi Arabia's move suggests a pragmatic response to these challenges, aiming to maximise current revenues while investing in diversification strategies such as renewable energy and petrochemicals. The kingdom's position as the de facto swing producer within OPEC+ gives it substantial leverage. Saudi Arabia can modulate output to influence global prices, a power that has been increasingly evident under Prince Abdulaziz's stewardship. The kingdom's vast spare capacity and low production costs enable it to sustain output increases that smaller or higher-cost producers cannot match. ADVERTISEMENT The decision also reflects Saudi Arabia's geopolitical considerations. Energy policy remains a critical tool of regional influence and international diplomacy. By asserting control over OPEC+ production decisions, Riyadh reinforces its leadership role not only within the cartel but also in broader energy markets, which remain pivotal to global economic stability. The internal dynamics of OPEC+ have evolved since the alliance's formation in 2016. Initially established to coordinate between OPEC members and major non-OPEC producers like Russia, the group has faced ongoing challenges balancing competing national interests. Saudi Arabia's push for discipline and market share signals a new era where Riyadh asserts a more centralised command, even if that risks tensions with key allies. The output increase also responds to market signals, including stronger oil demand forecasts and inventory levels that have stabilised. By expanding supply, Saudi Arabia aims to pre-empt supply shortages that could push prices beyond levels palatable to consuming nations and industries. This approach seeks to sustain demand growth by ensuring adequate supply and avoiding disruptive price spikes. Critics argue that the output hike risks destabilising markets by flooding them with excess supply amid uncertainties in global economic growth, inflation, and energy transition timelines. They caution that prolonged lower prices could undermine investment in the oil sector, affecting long-term supply security. However, proponents view Saudi Arabia's move as a necessary recalibration to reinforce market order and assert control over a fragmented supply landscape. The ripple effects of the Saudi-led decision extend beyond OPEC+ members. Non-OPEC producers, including the United States shale industry, watch closely as changes in cartel policy impact global price signals and investment decisions. The output hike could influence the pace and scale of shale production, which remains a significant factor in global supply dynamics. As the alliance navigates these complexities, Saudi Arabia's approach under Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman sets a clear tone of leadership and strategic resolve. The kingdom's readiness to push through output increases despite opposition illustrates its confidence in wielding its production capacity as a geopolitical and economic tool. This assertive posture aligns with Saudi Arabia's broader economic vision, including the ambitious Vision 2030 plan to diversify its economy and reduce dependence on oil revenues. Managing oil production to balance market share and price stability forms a critical part of this strategy, enabling the kingdom to finance diversification projects and maintain fiscal stability.