Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said the forthcoming Aero India exhibition in Bengaluru will not only display the country's growing prowess in the aerospace sector but will also demonstrate the rise of a strong and self-reliant "New India."
The 14th edition of Aero India, held every two years, will be held in Bengaluru from February 13 to 17.
Reviewing the preparations for the prestigious exhibition here, Rajnath said Aero India 2023 will not just be an event, but a display of the growing prowess of the defence and aerospace sector and the rise of a strong and self-reliant 'New India', the defence ministry said. The defence minister urged all the stakeholders to ensure "foolproof" arrangements for the participants.
Officials said 731 exhibitors have registered for the event so far. The five-day event on the theme 'the runway to a billion opportunities' will be the largest-ever aero show organised at Air Force Station, Yelahanka in a total area of around 35,000 sq metres, the defence ministry said. Officials said the defence ministers' conclave, with the theme 'shared prosperity through enhanced engagement in defence (SPEED)', and a CEOs' roundtable are among the marquee events being organised as part of the Aero India.
The Manthan start-up event and Bandhan ceremony, which witnesses signing of MoUs, will also be part of the event, along with a fabulous air show on all the five days. It will showcase the paradigm shift the government has brought in the aim of organising such events, the ministry said.
The events have been restructured with focus on increasing defence exports and forging partnerships rather than merely import of weapons and equipment.
Rajnath noted the Indian defence industry is going through a transformational phase and the active participation of the private sector is the biggest catalyst to that change.
He said though Aero India is a business event, it also aims to strengthen the country's relations with other nations.
He commended Bengaluru for successfully organising several editions of Aero India, saying that the event is shaping Karnataka as an epicentre of aviation and aerospace industry. Rajnath described Karnataka as one of the leading states which contributes to the economic growth of the country.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and state government officials joined the meeting through video conferencing, while Chief of Defence Staff(CDS) General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande, Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and other senior officials of Ministry of Defence attended the meeting physically.