The Paris Defence and Strategy Forum (PDSF) is an annual three-day international forum organised by the Defence Academy of the Ecole militaire (ACADEM) in Paris. It brings together French and international civilian and military experts -- including ministers, chiefs of defence, and strategic thinkers -- for closed roundtables, conferences, masterclasses, and strategic-game simulations. The 2026 edition (24-26 March 2026) is now past; the next edition is expected in 2027.
The Paris Defence and Strategy Forum (PDSF) is an annual, invitation-only, three-day international forum hosted at the Ecole militaire in Paris, organised by the Académie de défense de l'Ecole militaire (ACADEM). It is designed to enable French and European strategic thinking to contribute effectively to the global debate on major defence and security issues. Each edition centres on a thematic focus and selects a guest-of-honour nation, with programmes comprising roundtables, plenary conferences, masterclasses, and strategic-game simulations. The 2026 edition -- the third -- ran from 24 to 26 March 2026 under the theme "Sovereignties, Alliances and Partnerships," with Denmark as guest of honour. The 2027 edition dates have not yet been announced.
ACADEM launched the PDSF as its flagship public event, building on the Ecole militaire's centuries-long role as France's premier military education institution. The forum was conceived to fill a gap between purely academic defence seminars and high-level governmental conferences: a space where strategic reflection is rigorous and multi-disciplinary, but also genuinely international and forward-looking. The first edition was held in 2024; the second in 2025, which notably hosted a first-ever joint summit of European chiefs of defence and a meeting of European defence ministers on the forum sidelines. By the third edition in 2026 the PDSF had established itself as a landmark in the French and European defence-strategy calendar.
Exact dates and themes for the 2027 edition have not been announced as of June 2026. Based on the trajectory of previous editions -- from European strategic autonomy (2025) to sovereignties and alliances (2026) -- the 2027 forum is expected to continue addressing the structural questions raised by the war in Ukraine, NATO cohesion, and European defence industrial capacity. ACADEM has signalled continued ambition to grow the international participation of the forum. Dates will be confirmed on the official ACADEM and PDSF websites.
The PDSF occupies a unique niche as the premier French-language, government-anchored strategic forum. In the spring calendar it sits alongside events such as the Munich Security Conference (February) and precedes Eurosatory (biennial, June). Unlike trade shows or procurement exhibitions, it has no industry exhibition component. Among its closest international comparators are the Halifax International Security Forum (Canada) and the Shangri-La Dialogue (Singapore), which similarly convene senior officials and strategic thinkers in a closed, discussion-focused format.
Participation is strictly by invitation. The core audience comprises: senior military officers (chiefs of defence, flag officers), defence ministers and senior officials from France and allied nations, French and European parliamentarians, academic researchers in strategic studies, think-tank analysts, and selected industry representatives with strategic policy relevance. International delegations are a key feature; Denmark attended as guest of honour in 2026. The event is not open to the general public or to standard industry attendees.
Over three days the forum alternates between plenary conferences with high-profile speakers, smaller roundtable discussions, masterclasses led by subject-matter experts, and strategic-game (wargame) simulations that allow participants to test scenarios and stress-test assumptions. Sessions are conducted primarily in French and English with interpretation. The closed, Chatham House-style atmosphere is designed to encourage frank exchanges that would not occur in a fully public setting. There is no exhibition component.
The forum addresses major cross-cutting strategic and defence issues. Recurring themes include:
| Duration | 3 days (24-26 March 2026) |
| Theme | Sovereignties, Alliances and Partnerships |
| Guest of honour | Kingdom of Denmark |
| Format | Roundtables, conferences, masterclasses, strategic-game simulations |
| Access | By invitation only |
| Attendance | not disclosed |
The PDSF is a closed, invitation-only strategic forum with no exhibition floor and no commercial programme. Its primary output is strategic reflection and high-level dialogue, not procurement or business development. Participants are selected for their role and expertise, not their commercial interest.
ACADEM has not explicitly adopted the Chatham House label, but the closed and invitation-only format is designed to encourage frank discussion. Session transcripts or quotes are not routinely published; the forum aims to create a protected space for strategic dialogue.
The PDSF is officially bilingual (French and English). Simultaneous interpretation is available for plenary sessions. Roundtables may run predominantly in French.
The Ecole militaire is a historic military education complex located at 1 Place Joffre, 75007 Paris, adjacent to the Champ-de-Mars and facing the Eiffel Tower. Founded by Louis XV in 1750, it now houses multiple French defence education and research institutions including ACADEM. The campus combines grand 18th-century architecture with modern conference facilities. Access for invited participants is coordinated by ACADEM; the site operates under standard French military security protocols. The nearest Metro stations are La Motte-Picquet-Grenelle (lines 6, 8, 10) and Ecole Militaire (line 8).
The Académie de défense de l'Ecole militaire (ACADEM) is the French Ministry of Armed Forces' principal institution for senior defence education and strategic research. It groups together France's leading defence schools and research centres, coordinates inter-institutional doctoral programmes, and organises open strategic events such as the PDSF. ACADEM reports to the French Chief of the Defence Staff and is governed by the Ministry of Armed Forces. Its mission is to develop strategic culture and foster reflection on defence and security issues within France and among international partners.
France's most ambitious attempt to host a Davos-equivalent for European strategic affairs: a closed, invitation-only gathering at the Ecole militaire where ministers, chiefs of defence, and scholars argue about the shape of European security without a single exhibition stand in sight.
The PDSF is accessible by invitation only; there is no open registration process. Invitations are issued by ACADEM through institutional channels. Organisations wishing to participate as partners or sponsors can contact ACADEM directly; a partner club was introduced from the 2026 edition. Access conditions and any partnership costs are not publicly disclosed.
Invitations are issued at ACADEM's discretion through institutional, governmental, and academic networks. Organisations with a strategic-research profile or defence-policy mandate may apply to ACADEM directly to be considered for future editions. A "partner club" for corporate and institutional sponsors was introduced for PDSF 2026.
Accreditation for journalists is handled separately and selectively by ACADEM's communications team. Press inquiries should be directed to ACADEM through the official contact form on defense.gouv.fr/academ.
As of June 2026, ACADEM has not announced 2027 dates. Based on the pattern of the first three editions (all held in late March), the 2027 edition is likely to take place in March 2027. The official ACADEM website and PDSF website should be monitored for announcements.
| Official website | https://parisdefencestrategyforum.com/en/ |
| ACADEM page | https://www.defense.gouv.fr/academ |
| not disclosed | |
| X | https://twitter.com/acad_em |
| Register | Not open -- invitation only |
| Programme (2026 edition) | https://parisdefencestrategyforum.com/en/programme |