Team TrickyScribe: Aero India 2025, Asia’s premier aerospace and defence exhibition, was inaugurated by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru on February 10, 2025. The five-day event is set to showcase India’s technological advancements, industrial capabilities, and strategic vision while fostering global collaborations.
Raksha Mantri emphasized that Aero India 2025 will play a pivotal role in strengthening relations among like-minded nations amid global uncertainties. He stated, “Aero India is a confluence of critical & frontier technologies that fosters mutual respect, interest, and benefit. Lasting peace can only be achieved if nations grow stronger together and work towards a better world order.”
Global Leaders & Defence Industry Converge at Aero India 2025
The event brings together a diverse mix of government representatives, industry leaders, air force officials, scientists, defence experts, start-ups, and academia from across the world. Raksha Mantri stressed that India’s security cannot exist in isolation and must be built on shared stability and peace. “Security, stability, and peace transcend national borders. Our foreign partners’ presence here is a testimony to our shared vision of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future,’” he remarked.
India’s Defence Sector: A Key Driver of Economic Growth
The Raksha Mantri highlighted how the defence sector is emerging as a major contributor to India’s economic growth. He pointed out that the sector, once viewed only in security terms, is now a driving force behind industrial and technological development. “A vibrant defence ecosystem has been established under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, integrating the sector into the national economy,” he added.
A record allocation of ₹6.81 lakh crore in the Union Budget 2025-26, including ₹1.80 lakh crore for capital acquisition, underlines the government’s commitment to defence modernization. Singh reaffirmed that 75% of the defence modernization budget has been reserved for domestic procurement, strengthening India’s Defence Industrial Complex.
Boosting Private Sector Participation in Defence Manufacturing
The Raksha Mantri reiterated the government’s commitment to increasing private sector participation in defence manufacturing. He stated that the private sector’s resilience, entrepreneurship, and innovation would bring a new wave of prosperity to India’s defence industry. “Globally, private enterprises have led defence production. The time has come for India’s private sector to become an equal partner in defence manufacturing,” he asserted.
Highlighting successful collaborations, he cited the Tata Advanced Systems Limited-Airbus joint venture for the production of C-295 transport aircraft in Gujarat as a milestone in India’s journey toward self-reliance. He also noted that India has become a globally preferred destination for aerospace components and complex system assembly, with both public and private players playing a crucial role.
India’s Defence Production & Exports on a Growth Trajectory
Singh spotlighted key achievements since the last edition of Aero India, including the indigenous development of high-tech products such as Astra Missile, New Generation Akash Missile, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, and Pinaka Guided Rockets. He emphasized the government’s resolve to surpass the ₹1.27 lakh crore defence production mark and ₹21,000 crore in defence exports.
During the curtain-raiser press conference, he had expressed confidence that by the end of 2025-26, India’s defence production would exceed ₹1.60 lakh crore, and exports would surpass ₹30,000 crore.
2025: The ‘Year of Reforms’ in India’s Defence Sector
Raksha Mantri termed 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms’ for the Ministry of Defence, emphasizing that it is not just a slogan but a firm government commitment. He called for broader participation from all stakeholders, including the Armed Forces and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), to accelerate reforms.
Aero India 2025: A Convergence of Innovation & Global Partnerships
Aero India 2025 will feature key events, including:
✅ Defence Ministers’ Conclave – High-level discussions on global security cooperation
✅ CEOs Roundtable – Industry leaders strategizing on aerospace and defence growth
✅ India & iDEX Pavilions – Showcasing indigenous defence innovations
✅ Manthan iDEX & Samarthya Indigenisation Event – Promoting start-ups and self-reliance
✅ Spectacular Air Shows – Demonstrating India’s aerial prowess
February 10-12 are designated as Business Days, while February 13-14 will be Public Days, allowing visitors to witness cutting-edge defence and aerospace technologies.
Welcoming the World: India’s Hospitality & Global Vision
Welcoming distinguished guests from across the world, Singh underscored India’s deep-rooted tradition of hospitality, Atithi Devo Bhava (Guest is God). Drawing a parallel between Aero India and the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, he remarked, “While Maha Kumbh is a Kumbh of introspection, Aero India is a Kumbh of research. One showcases India’s spiritual strength, while the other displays its technological prowess.”
Aero India 2025: Paving the Way for a ‘Viksit Bharat’
As India strides towards becoming a global defence hub, Aero India 2025 stands as a testament to the government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ vision. The event aims to fast-track the indigenization process and propel India toward its ambitious goal of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
With an action-packed schedule of air shows, technological showcases, and strategic discussions, Aero India 2025 is set to reinforce India’s position as a leader in global defence and aerospace innovation.
Total Views: 3,91,505
