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| Tejas (LCA) Light Combat Aircraft (File Photo) |
As Aero India 2013 opened in Bangalore, Russian Ambassador Dr Alexander Kadakin, cautioned Indian defence ministry from being lured by many foreign suitors using the analogy of a rich Indian bride, wooed by many bridegrooms he said. Israel was seen hard selling the new anti missile and rocket defence system, while the French continued to be in a dilemma as to whether HAL or Reliance will be the Indian partner.
Defence Minister Mr A K Antony highlighted that Aero India provides enormous business opportunity not only to India but also to different regional markets of the world. Inaugurating the 9th edition of Aero India-2013, at Air Force Station, Yelhanka, Bangalore today, Shri A K Antony said, in view of immense opportunities available in the aerospace industry the revised Defence Procurement Policy of 2010 has provided for more public-private partnerships model to the industry as per a Ministry of Defence Press release. He appealed to all stakeholders of defence industry to take advantage of this policy initiative and develop world-class products and technologies so as to make India a hub in the entire sub-continent. He hoped that this premier air show of Asia will provide enough avenues for growth of Indian aerospace industry. On this occasion Shri Antony unveiled Aero Space Policy of Karnataka state in the presence of Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri Jagdish Shivappa Shettar. He also announced that the 10th Aero India will be held at Bangalore from 18-22 February 2015.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Ajit Singh described Aero India as a ‘knowledge platform’. Giving a brief report card of Indian aviation, he said that since this is one of the fastest growing aviation sectors in the world, concentrated efforts have to be made by all stakeholders to sustain this momentum. Shri R K Mathur,Secretary ,Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, Mrs Naina Lal Kidwai,President,FICCI, Shri Jagdish Shivappa Shettar, Chief Minister of Karnataka also spoke on the occasion. Marshal of The Air Force Shri Arjan Singh, Minister of State For Defence Shri Jitendra Singh, Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal N A K Brown, Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister and DG, DRDO Dr V K Saraswat and Defence Secretary Shri Shashikant Sharma were also present.
A magnificent aerobatic show commenced after the inaugural function when visitors were thrilled to see the slow but graceful flight displays of 1930s vintage Tigher Moth aircraft, which made its flight appearance after a gap of 22 years. Then the much awaited LCA Tejas showed some breath taking loops and vertical charlies in the skies of Yelhanka, which was followed by aerobatic displays of Flying Bulls of Czech Republic as reported by a Ministry of Defence Press Release.
The success of Aero India 2013 in attracting a large number of foreign governments as well as companies to participate in the event has egged on the Indian Ministry of Defence to pitch it as a much larger event in the future. With the surge of interest in Aero India as the largest air show in Asia the Defence Minister Mr A K Antony has even pitched for the same becoming a hub for regional sales pitch by the participants. The South Asian region may have limited demand for aero space platforms sales per se but there is likely to be a major interest in the South East Asian region though Singapore also holds a similar air show. However in the Indian case the advantage is of a large domestic market with India’s continued dependence on imports for sustaining the armed forces, Bangalore may remain far more attractive to exhibitors than Singapore. Similarly China’s Zhuhai air show is seen by many as more for domestic displays than foreign manufacturers.
This Article first appeared on Security Risks and is reposted here under a Creative Commons license.