According to a new report from Strategic Defence Intelligence (SDI), the MINT countries – Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey – are expected to become one of the most attractive defence markets in the coming years, with related spending increasing from US$40.6 billion to US$61.1 billion by 2019.

The economies of Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey are poised to become the next centre of attention with respect to international trade and commerce. The shift in focus to the MINT countries from the BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China – over the last year has generated significant interest, including in the defence sector.

According to the SDI report, three out of the four MINT countries are expected to exhibit double-digit growth rates up to 2019; Turkey is the sole exception but is still forecast to grow at a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1% during the next five years. Indonesia is expected to witness the highest growth rate of 16.6%, with Nigeria consolidating its position as one of the most potentially attractive markets in Africa with a growth rate of 11.4%. Mexico’s economy is expected to grow at a rate of 10.4%.

Spending on homeland security is gaining momentum in the MINT countries. Sustained investment is being driven by ongoing threats such as drug and human trafficking, money laundering, cyber crime and arms trafficking. Homeland security spending is expected to present major procurement opportunities in such fields as UAVs, helicopters, aircraft, biometric systems and radars.

According to SDI analyst Dev Singh Mehta, equipment manufacturers are well advised to look towards the defence and security markets in the MINT countries. He said: “An interesting fact to ponder is the opportunities presented by the challenges that these countries have to face in the form of inadequate infrastructure, education, energy, health care and defence capabilities, which makes a strong case for related sustained spending.”