Revanth Reddy invites Rajnath Singh to inaugurate Telangana Defence Expo

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday, Septemeber 2, invited Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to the Invest Telangana Global Summit-2026 and sought his support for the Defence Expo-2026, which will be held alongside the summit in Hyderabad from December 7 to 9.

During a meeting with Singh, Reddy highlighted Telangana's investment potential in the defence sector and briefed him on the scale and proposed activities of the expo, according to a statement issued by the state government.

Reddy invited the defence minister to inaugurate the event and said the expo would feature a dedicated session on the aerospace, defence and space sectors, besides an air show, industrial exhibition and live demonstrations of land-based defence systems.

Representatives of defence companies, startups and young scientists are expected to participate and share their experiences, the statement said.

Seeking the Centre's cooperation to organise the expo "in accordance with international standards", Reddy requested Singh's assistance in obtaining the necessary airspace clearances for the air show.

He also sought the participation of Indian Air Force aircraft, including the Surya Kiran and Sarang aerobatic display teams, as well as support for a static aircraft display.

Reddy urged the Defence Ministry to facilitate the showcasing of state-of-the-art equipment of the Army, Navy and Air Force and ensure the participation of senior officials and representatives of the three services.

The meeting also discussed participation by major defence public sector undertakings, including HAL, BEL, BDL and MDL, as well as DRDO laboratories, which would showcase indigenous defence technologies at the summit.

Reddy further sought the ministry's assistance in arranging meetings on the sidelines of the summit with foreign defence delegations, bilateral partners and representatives of international defence organisations.

On the proposed Adilabad Airport, Reddy informed Singh that the state government had already acquired 750 acres of the 1,500 acres sought by the ministry for the project. The remaining 750 acres would be acquired soon, he said.

The chief minister also said the Telangana government's industrial arm, TGIIC, had agreed to allot 416.18 acres in Devarakadra mandal of Mahabubnagar district for a project to be undertaken by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL).

The land will be leased for 33 years at a nominal annual rent of Re 1 for the entire parcel, instead of a per-acre rate. The lease can be extended twice if required, Reddy said.