Bengaluru: Participation of more than 900 exhibitors (150 foreign) and 90 countries, 26 defence ministers and 118 CEOs, including 59 from foreign companies, will mark Aero India 2025, which will see India push its self-reliance vision through a series of strategic meetings and dialogues.
The five-day event, which will be inaugurated by defence minister Rajnath Singh on Monday, will see a variety of aircraft perform — presence of Russian Su-57 and US’ F-35 being a major highlight — for spectators besides a host of new technologies and products on display at exhibition halls.
From a modest beginning in 1996, Aero India has come a long way to become Asia’s largest defence and aerospace airshow over the years and has been growing beyond air display. Notably, from the 13th edition, there has been a significant focus on things beyond air display.
While the 13th edition had the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) defence ministers’ conclave as the highlight given India’s push to expand its role in the region in the backdrop of global geo-political rivalry, the 14th edition saw Singh hold a defence ministers’ meeting on the sidelines.
In the 15th edition too, serious focus is likely on strategic meetings scheduled on the sidelines of the event, the outcomes of which will be known in the months to come. “Aero India is a platform that showcases the strength, resilience, and self-reliance of New India. It’s not just crucial for India’s defence preparedness, but it also plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of our nation,” Singh said Sunday.
Stating that it will demonstrate India’s defence capabilities and forge global partnerships, he said “…Our goal is to enhance collaboration in areas of common interest with our friendly nations, fostering deeper cooperation and shared progress. The event is not just a showcase of technology and innovation, but will also serve as a source of inspiration for our youth, fostering scientific temperament and a spirit of innovation.”
Aside from the big meetings, several one-on-one meets, discussions at seminars, and industry-organised roundtables will be used by Indian officials and companies to further the country’s interests in line with the Centre’s focus on self-reliance. Enhancing India’s defence exports and joint production of advanced technologies will be a key strategic focus at the show.
Singh will host the defence ministers’ conclave on Feb 11 in hybrid mode. The theme this year — ‘Building Resilience through International Defence and Global Engagement (BRIDGE)’ — underscores the importance of supply chain resilience and strategic collaboration.
The exhibition will host several high-profile events, including a CEOs’ roundtable featuring more than 100 OEMs. Major foreign companies like Airbus, Safran, and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems are expected to present their plans for collaboration with Indian firms.
A dedicated India Pavilion will display more than 275 exhibits across five zones, featuring indigenous capabilities in aero, land, and naval aviation, along with defence-space and niche technologies. The iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) Pavilion will showcase innovations from startups and MSMEs, which have already secured procurement contracts worth Rs 1,560 crore.
Singh will attend two key events on Feb 12 — ‘Manthan’, the annual defence innovation summit will convene stakeholders from industry, academia, and govt to discuss opportunities for defence startups and MSMEs, while ‘Samarthya’ will showcase indigenous defence items developed by DPSUs, DRDO, and armed services in collaboration with private firms.
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Def Exports Will Breach Rs 30k-cr By 2025-26: Rajnath
India’s defence exports are set to surge beyond Rs 30,000 crore, while domestic defence production is expected to exceed Rs 1.6-lakh-crore by 2025-26, Singh said Sunday.
He highlighted India’s growing prowess in indigenous defence manufacturing, noting that advanced platforms like the LCA Tejas, Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand, and C-295 Transport aircraft are now being produced domestically.
The country has also committed to manufacturing fifth-generation fighter aircraft locally, alongside successful development of various missile systems including Agni, Astra, Pinaka, and hypersonic missiles. | TNN