India’s biennial DefExpo will kickstart in Lucknow on Wednesday with the aim to showcase the potential of the country to become a global defence manufacturing hub.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said delegates from 70 countries and 172 foreign military manufacturers will attend the five-day mega exhibition. As many as 856 Indian defence firms will also showcase their products at the event.
“We want to make India a hub of defence manufacturing. The DefExpo is a step in this direction,” Singh said.
“The participation of a large number of foreign firms in the DefExpo reflects India’s growing stature,” he said.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said his government has been encouraging defence manufacturing in the state. He said two Dornier aircraft of aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will be used by the state government for civil purposes on two routes.
It will be for the first time that the 19-seater aircraft will be used by a state government for civilian purposes.
Singh said India cannot continue to rely on imports for defence platforms and the country has to create its defence manufacturing space.
“By end of this decade, I am confident that India will be among the top three economies in the world. The indigenous defence production will contribute significantly in taking India’s economy forward,” Singh said.