Aero India, Asia’s largest air show and a biennial aviation exhibition, returns to Bengaluru. Organized by the Defence Exhibition Organisation, Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, it is India’s premier aerospace and defence exhibition. Global aero vendors and the Indian Air Force (IAF) will showcase their capabilities, including aerobatic flying displays.
Aero India is a flagship event, bringing together global industry leaders, government officials, technology experts, and defence strategists. It showcases India’s technological prowess and innovations, providing a dynamic platform for international cooperation and strategic dialogue.
Aero India 2025, the 15th edition, is designed to be a landmark event. It will be held from February 10th to 14th, 2025, at Yelahanka Air Force Station, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. The first three days are for business visitors, and the last two days are open to the public. The broad theme is ‘The Runway to a Billion Opportunities’.
The Legacy and Importance of Aero India
Aero India has become a major international event, highlighting the latest advancements in aerospace technology and serving as a critical forum for strategic interactions. It reflects India’s commitment to advancing its aerospace and defence capabilities. Over the years, Aero India has been instrumental in:
- Showcasing Cutting-Edge Technologies: The event regularly features demonstrations of state-of-the-art aerospace systems, innovative defence solutions, and breakthrough technologies.
- Fostering Strategic Dialogues: Through high-level interactions, Aero India provides an arena for discussions on policy, defence collaborations, and the future roadmap of the aerospace sector.
- Enhancing International Partnerships: With participation from global aerospace giants and defence agencies, the show underscores India’s growing stature as a key player in the international aerospace community.
This legacy has paved the way for current and future editions. Aero India is more than an exhibition—it is a convergence point of innovation, strategy, and national pride.
Events at Aero India 2025
The five-day event comprises a curtain raiser, inaugural event, Defence Ministers’ Conclave, CEOs’ Roundtable, iDEX start-up event, air shows, a large exhibition area (India Pavilion and trade fair).
- Defence Ministers’ Conclave: India will host the Conclave on the theme ‘BRIDGE – Building Resilience through International Defence and Global Engagement’. Bilateral meetings are planned at various levels to bolster defense and aerospace ties.
- CEOs’ Round-Table: This will provide a platform for foreign OEMs to explore manufacturing in India. Global CEOs, CMDs of domestic PSUs, and private defense & aerospace manufacturing companies will participate.
- India Pavilion: The Pavilion will showcase India’s Make-in-India initiative, highlighting indigenous defense manufacturing capabilities and cutting-edge technologies. An iDEX pavilion will promote Indian startups.
- Aerobatic Displays and Demonstrations: Dynamic aerobatic displays and live technology demonstrations will be featured. Seminars on various themes are also planned.
Aero India 2023: A Retrospective Analysis
Aero India 2023, held from February 13th–17th, was the largest edition, with over 100 countries, 809 exhibitors, and over 7 lakh visitors. Key aspects:
- Showcasing Advanced Aerospace Technologies: Companies displayed state-of-the-art aerospace systems and defence solutions.
- Facilitating Strategic Engagements: The event fostered strategic dialogue among stakeholders.
- Strengthening India’s Global Position: Aero India 2023 reinforced India’s commitment to advancing its aerospace capabilities.
Lessons from Aero India 2023 are being incorporated into Aero India 2025, focusing on operational excellence, international collaboration, and technological innovation.
Events at Aero India 2023
The event comprised a Defence Ministers’ Conclave, a CEOs’ Round Table, the Manthan start-up event, the Bandhan ceremony, air shows, an exhibition, the India Pavilion, and a trade fair.
Major Exhibitors & Equipment at Aero India 2023
Major exhibitors included Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation, Lockheed Martin, Israel Aerospace Industry, BrahMos Aerospace, and others. The event showcased design leadership and growth in UAVs, Defence Space, and futuristic technologies, promoting the export of indigenous air platforms.
Key Events and Agreements at Aero India 2023
- Defence Ministers’ Conclave: Held on the theme ‘Shared Prosperity through Enhanced Engagements in Defence (SPEED)’.
- CEOs’ Round Table: Held on the theme ‘Sky is not the limit: opportunities beyond boundaries.’
- Bandhan Ceremony: Witnessed the signing of MoUs, ToTs, and product launches.
- Manthan: The annual defence innovation event, organized by iDEX.
- India Pavilion: Showcased India’s growth in fixed-wing platforms.
- Major Agreements: Numerous MoUs and agreements were signed.
Products Showcased at Aero India 2023
- Vertically Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (Bharat Dynamics Limited): VLSRSAM is a next-generation, ship-based, all-weather, air defence weapon which can be used by Navy as a quick reaction point defence against supersonic sea skimming targets like aircraft and UAVs. The Missile has a smokeless propulsion system with all-weather capability. It has a highly agile configuration with state-of-the-art Electronic Counter-Counter Measures features.
- SAL Seeker ATGM for BMP II (Bharat Dynamics Limited): Semi-Active Laser Seeker based Anti-Tank Guided Missile for BMP-II is a subsonic missile with a range of 4,000 metres and flight time of 25 seconds. The missile weighs 23 kgs with the launch tube and can be used in different kinds of terrains to incapacitate the moving and stationary targets such as tanks and Infantry Combat Vehicles.
- Jishnu (Bharat Dynamics Limited): Jishnu, a Drone Delivered Missile, is light weight and miniaturised missile targeted for soft-skinned targets. It has a range of 1.5 km with a flight time of 9 seconds. The missile can be semi-automatic or completely autonomous based on the systems configurations.
- Software defined NAVIC/GPS receiver module based on indigenously-developed processors (Astra Microwave Products Limited).
- Indigenously-built ‘Counter Drone Radar’ based on technology from DRDO (Astra Microwave Products Limited).
- 9 mm sub-sonic ammunition (Munitions India Limited).
- BFT on Ios (ideaForge Technology Limited): BlueFire Touch BlueFire Touch, our Ground Control Station (GCS) software, is built to plan and command both mapping and surveillance missions with the ability to pre-plan missions based on operational area and target locations via waypoint-based navigation.
- HF SDR Radio (Bharat Electronics Limited): It is an advanced software defined radio. The radio is lightweight 20 W transmit capable radio. It provides a complete solution to the short-range communication requirements in the crowded HF band and long-range communications beyond line of sight.
- Goniometer (Bharat Electronics Limited): It is part of any integrated observation and fire control monitoring system for daytime or night time use by the Artillery.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Aerospace and Defence in India
Aero India plays a pivotal role in:
- Driving Technological Advancements: Catalyzing the development of next-generation aerospace systems.
- Enhancing National Security: Contributing to India’s defence capabilities.
- Strengthening Economic Growth: Driving advancements with implications for economic growth.
Conclusion: Embracing the Future with Aero India
Aero India stands as a testament to India’s unwavering commitment to innovation, strategic collaboration, and excellence in aerospace and defence. As the nation prepares to host Aero India 2025, the event promises to build on the rich legacy of previous editions—most notably, the transformative Aero India 2023. Through rigorous operational protocols, strategic partnerships, and a forward-thinking agenda, Aero India 2025 is poised to further elevate India’s profile on the global aerospace stage.
