Serbia expects to begin producing long-range ballistic missiles within the next year and is ready to cooperate with Uzbekistan in this area, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said.

Speaking at the Serbia-Uzbekistan Business Forum in Belgrade, Vučić said Serbia’s defense industry is developing with the involvement of foreign technologies and expertise, according to vucic.rs.

The Serbian president noted that the country is already producing short-range missiles, while production of longer-range systems could begin in about a year. The assessment was previously given by Nenad Miloradović, Serbia’s assistant defense minister for material resources.

“Within a year, we will begin production of long-range ballistic missiles, and we are ready to cooperate with you in this area as well,” Vučić told Uzbek entrepreneurs.

Vučić described the development of the defense industry as an important part of Serbia’s broader technological and industrial progress.