Flying displays are scheduled on all five days. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said though Aero India is a business event, it also aims to strengthen India's relations with others countries.

The five-day Aero India show, in its biggest avatar yet, began at the Air Force Station in Yelahanka, Bengaluru on February 13. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 14th edition of the biennial show.

On the theme ‘The runway to a billion opportunities’, it seeks to display India’s growth in aerospace and defence capabilities, according to the event press release. Flying displays are also scheduled on all five days. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said though Aero India is a business event, it additionally aims to strengthen India’s relations with others countries.

Likely to witness the participation of 98 countries, the Defence Ministers of 32 countries, Air Chiefs of 29 countries and 73 CEOs of global and Indian OEMs or Original Equipment Manufacturers are expected to attend the event. MSMEs and start-ups in the field will also be present.

What is the Aero India show?

On behalf of the Department of Defence Production of the Ministry of Defence, Aero India is being organised by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) this year. Major exhibitors include defence and aircraft manufacturing companies like Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation, Lockheed Martin, Israel Aerospace Industry, BrahMos Aerospace, Army Aviation, HC Robotics, SAAB, Safran, Rolls Royce, Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Forge Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and BEML Limited.

“The event aims to promote export of indigenous air platforms like Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-Tejas, HTT-40, Dornier Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). It will integrate domestic MSMEs and start-ups in the global supply chain and attract foreign investments including partnerships for co-development and co-production,” the ministry said.

What is expected at this year’s exhibition?

A number of seminars will be held – on Harnessing the Potential of Ex-servicemen for Indian Defence Industry, India’s Defence Space Initiative, Opportunities for shaping the Indian private space ecosystem, Indigenous development of futuristic aerospace technologies, and more.

A Defence Ministers’ Conclave will be hosted on February 14. Defence Ministers of friendly foreign countries will participate in the meeting, which has been organised on the theme ‘Shared Prosperity through Enhanced Engagements in Defence (SPEED).
About 251 MoUs, with an expected investment of Rs 75,000 crore, are likely to be signed for partnerships between various Indian and foreign defence companies and organisations during the Bandhan ceremony on February 15.

Aero India 2023 will have a separate pavilion on the opportunities available in Karnataka, which will have assembly elections in a few months. “It is a pleasure to host Aero India again and again. Credit goes to the forefathers who built an aerospace ecosystem… This time the Aero show will be the biggest in terms of exhibits, displays and meets,” said Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.