Efforts on to completely indigenise LCA Tejas: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at Aero India curtain raiser event

Speaking at the curtain raiser for Aero India 2023 in Bengaluru Sunday, Singh said: “The efforts are on to completely indigenise the aircraft. We need some time. We will make this aircraft hundred per cent indigenous.”

At the Defence Ministers’ conclave in Aero India, he said the event is an opportunity for defence ministers of all friendly countries and India to engage with each other and deepen cooperation with regard to capacity building, training, space, AI and maritime security, among others.

The defence minister said that owing to India’s resolve to promote self-reliance, the export of defence items has increased. He further said the Aero India show has no connection to the Ukraine conflict. “Our resolve is to make India self-reliant and increase defence exports. Nobody should connect it with the Ukraine conflict,” he said.

“A strong and self-reliant defence sector will play a pivotal role in helping India emerge as one of the top three world economies in the times to come. Achievements in the defence sector provide wide spin-off benefits to the Indian economy. The technologies developed in the field are equally useful for civilian purposes. In addition, a temperament towards science & technology and innovation is created in the society, which helps in the overall development of the nation,” Singh said.

The annual defence innovation event, Manthan, will be the flagship technology showcase program to be held as part of Aero India on February 15. Being organised by Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), the Manthan platform will bring leading innovators, start-ups, MSMEs, incubators, academia and investors from the defence and aerospace ecosystem under one roof.

“The ever-increasing number of start-ups and unicorns in India is proof that India is today one of the countries with the most favourable environment for start-ups. Through Manthan, our youth in the field of defence artificial intelligence, cyber security, e-management, augmented and virtual reality, autonomous systems and other innovations for future forces will be able to showcase their capabilities and empower themselves as well as the defence sector,” he added.

The ‘India Pavilion’, based on the ‘Fixed Wing Platform’ theme, will showcase India’s growth in the area, including future prospects. There will be a total of 115 companies, displaying 227 products.

Aero India 2023 will have a separate Karnataka Pavilion that will showcase the opportunities available in the state.

Singh also highlighted the benefits of Aero India for the youth of Karnataka, saying that the state pavilion will attract investments and create new jobs. He reiterated that the government’s focus is on the future of the youth.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said: “It is a pleasure to host Aero India again and again. The credit for this goes to the forefathers who built an aerospace ecosystem. I thank the Union government for giving us the opportunity for the 14th time to host the event and we have been successful in portraying the aerospace industry. Even the Paris aero show was cancelled during Covid-19 but we went ahead with the Aero show in 2021 because we were capable to do so. This time, the aero show will be the biggest in terms of exhibits, displays and meets.”

“As far as aerospace is concerned, Karnataka is the first state to have a manufacturing hub. It started with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)… followed by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), and Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO). In the 1960s, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) came here which further enhanced India’s technological capabilities. Karnataka has a separate aerospace policy and I dream of a day when the country’s aircraft will be built here,” Bommai further said.

Organised at Air Force Station, Yelahanka, Aero India is 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 (original equipment manufacturers) are expected to attend the event. Eight hundred and nine (809) defence companies, including MSMEs and start-ups, will showcase the advancement in niche technologies and the growth in the aerospace and defence sectors.