Gellért Jászai, Chairman of the 4iG Group, Hungary’s defence and space technology giant, visited Israel last week, where he held several high-level meetings aimed at further strengthening Hungarian–Israeli relations. According to a company statement, the Hungarian delegation—which included Hungary’s Minister for National Economy Márton Nagy—the meetings focused on Hungarian–Israeli economic cooperation, expanding export–import opportunities, and fostering partnerships between innovative start-up companies, with particular emphasis on the pharmaceutical industry, dual-use technologies, and the food sector.
Discussions with Tourism Minister Haim Katz covered cooperation related to tourism, as well as joint opportunities in healthcare and real estate development. This was followed by a meeting with Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, during which the parties reviewed potential cooperation in telecommunications, space communications, and coordination within international professional organizations.
One of the highlights of the visit was a meeting with Defence Minister Israel Katz, which focused on Hungarian–Israeli defence industrial cooperation. Special emphasis was placed on the current and future partnerships of 4iG Space and Defence Technologies Plc (4iG SDT) with key players in Israel’s space and defence industries.
Israeli Drone Hub in Hungary
Following the talks at the Ministry of Defence, the delegation also visited the manufacturing facilities of Aeronautics Group. Building on a cooperation agreement previously signed with 4iG SDT, the parties reviewed the company’s technological and production capabilities. According to the plans, these capacities are expected to serve European markets from a Hungary-based hub in the near future.
‘After the signing of an MoU, we visited their production facilities to assess their technological and manufacturing capabilities. According to our plans, these capabilities will soon serve European markets from a Hungarian hub, supplying loitering munitions and reconnaissance drones,’ the company’s chairman wrote in his X post about the visit.
Back in December, the 4iG Group entered into a strategic partnership with Aeronautics, a leading Israeli manufacturer of tactical unmanned aerial systems. The cooperation also extends to loitering, so-called ‘kamikaze’ or warhead-equipped drones. ‘Within the framework of the partnership, the companies will jointly examine the possibilities of introducing modern unmanned aerial systems (UAS), including loitering munition (LM) solutions and related technologies, to the European market, as well as the conditions for potential production in Hungary,’ the company wrote at the time.
‘The creation of a Hungarian weapons hub would represent both an industrial development milestone and a strategic advance’
The current agreement on establishing a weapons hub in Hungary would build on these Israeli technologies to serve European markets. The project could include manufacturing, logistics, and technological functions. The creation of a Hungarian weapons hub would represent both an industrial development milestone and a strategic advance, potentially positioning 4iG and Hungary in a key role at the international level.
Israeli drone exports have grown in recent years in clearly measurable terms. According to Israel’s Ministry of Defence, the country’s total arms exports reached approximately USD 12.5 billion in 2022, with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned systems accounting for nearly 25 per cent of that figure. Leading manufacturers—most notably Israel Aerospace Industries and Elbit Systems—dominate this segment primarily with medium- and long-range reconnaissance and armed drones. Demand for Israeli defence technology has been particularly strong in Europe: while European countries accounted for roughly 25–30 per cent of Israeli defence exports in 2021–2022, the continent’s share rose to over 50 per cent by 2024.
The importance of Israel’s role in strengthening the defence capabilities of Europe and Hungary was also emphasized by the head of 4iG. Concluding his account of the visit to Israel, the company’s chairman wrote: ‘Israel is a strategic partner of Hungary, and today’s meetings once again confirmed our shared commitment to deepening cooperation built on innovation, security, and long-term economic growth.’
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