Amid strong economic ties in multiple areas between Ankara and Moscow, Turkey will now be a partner country in this year's INNOPROM, the main industrial, trade and export platform in Russia that Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank will be paying a visit to.

The 10th International Industrial Trade Fair INNOPROM – with the theme Digital Manufacturing: Integrated Solutions – starts today in Ekaterinburg and ends Thursday, July 11.

Varank, as guest of honor, will officially open the event, which will be attended by industry and technology companies from many countries. As part of the visit, Varank is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak and Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov.

On behalf of Turkey, the minister will also chair the Turkish-Russian Industry Forum, dedicated to cooperation in mechanical engineering, investment and trade, as part of the program.

According to the fair's official website, the plenary session will feature a discussion of bilateral cooperation with the participation of Varank, Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan and Manturov.

Turkey's exposition will be located in Pavilion 1 and occupy approximately 3,000 square meters. A number of Turkish companies will present their latest industrial technologies and solutions.

This year's event will host 15 national expositions; double the amount at last year's trade fair. Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Slovakia, Belarus, China, Czech Republic, South Africa and South Korea will participate in INNOPROM with national stands. Austria, France, Kazakhstan, and Taiwan will organize their national exhibits for the first time.

The event will focus on metal processing, industrial automation, layered manufacturing, machinery, parts and electrical and electronic technologies. Also, sessions will be held on digital production, industrial innovation, new materials in production, industrial robotics, and diversification in the defense industry, industrial logistics, the radio electronics industry and the chemical industry.

INNOPROM, which Russia has been organizing every year since 2010, is the country's main industry, trade and export platform.

At last year's event, with South Korea as partner country, 600 companies from 18 countries exhibited their products. The fair is said to have welcomed around 46,000 visitors from 107 countries during the fair last year.