New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate India’s biennial aerospace exhibition – ‘Aero India’ on Monday. The exhibition will showcase the country as an emerging hub for manufacturing military aircraft, helicopters, equipment and new-age avionics. The five-day exhibition at the Yalahanka Air Force station complex on the outskirts of Bengaluru will see the participation of 809 defence companies and delegates from 98 countries, news agency PTI reported citing officials.
The officials further said that around 250 business-to-business agreements are expected to be firmed up at the Aero India which is estimated to unlock investment to the tune of around Rs 75,000 crore. The 14th edition of Aero India, with the theme ‘The runway to a billion opportunities’, will radiate the rise of a strong and self-reliant ‘New India’ by displaying the country’s growth in aerospace and defence capabilities, they said.
The focus will be on displaying indigenous equipment and technologies and forging partnerships with foreign companies, in line with the ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ vision of the government.
Addressing a press conference, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that Aero India 2023 will highlight the country’s manufacturing prowess and the progress achieved towards realising ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) as envisioned by Prime Minister Modi, as reported by PTI.
The event will significantly contribute to the development of the aerospace and aviation sector, he said. Singh said Aero India will act as a catalyst for further growth of the aerospace sector in India and will help in realising the country’s aim of becoming self-reliant in defence manufacturing.
“I am confident that Bengaluru will emerge as a global hub for the aerospace sector. Our aim is to create a vibrant defence manufacturing ecosystem,” he said, as quoted by PTI.
The defence ministers of 32 countries, Air Chiefs of 29 nations and 73 CEOs of global and Indian defence companies are expected to attend Aero India. The defence minister termed the increasing international participation a reflection of not just India’s buyer-seller ties with different countries but also their shared vision of global prosperity, officials said, as reported by PTI.
