He said the industry had generated RM25.7 billion to GDP this year.
Dr Ahmad Zahid said the RM50 billion covered the security, enforcement and defence industries in the aerospace sector whereby "we expect the Asean economies to recover fully and Malaysia becoming the hub to manufacture (defence) assets," he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the Malaysian Industry Council for Defence, Enforcement and Security (MIDES), here.
The meeting was attended by 37 representatives of various government agencies and 35 representatives of local defence industry companies engaged in the maritime and information technology sectors.
Dr Ahmad Zahid said the ministry would hold a workshop on the defence industry with the collaboration of the Finance Ministry, International Trade and Industry Ministry and the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry in March next year.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was expected to deliver a keynote address at the workshop, he added.
