India showcases defence prowess, future vision at Aero India 2025

New Delhi, Feb 10: India is set to redefine its position as a global defence and aerospace powerhouse as it hosts the 15th edition of Aero India at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru.

Inaugurating Asia’s largest air show, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasised India’s growing technological capabilities and its commitment to fostering international partnerships based on “mutual respect, mutual interest, and mutual benefit.”

“Aero India 2025, a confluence of critical & frontier technologies, will provide a platform to further strengthen relations among like-minded countries to deal with today’s uncertainties,” said Rajnath Singh, highlighting the strategic importance of the event in an evolving global security landscape.

Over five days, Aero India 2025 will bring together government officials, defence experts, industry leaders, and innovators to explore avenues for collaboration in aerospace and defence manufacturing. Rajnath Singh highlighted the need to move beyond transactional buyer-seller relationships and foster industrial partnerships.

“We have many successful examples of co-production and co-development with like-minded countries. For us, there is no Indian security or Indian peace in isolation. Security, stability, and peace are shared constructs that transcend national borders,” he said, underscoring India’s vision of “One Earth, One Family, One Future.”

India’s Defence Industry: A Growth Engine

As India transitions from a developing to a developed nation, its defence sector has emerged as a key driver of economic progress. Singh noted that India’s defence industry, once seen as an auxiliary sector, is now “a motor powering the growth engine of the Indian economy.”

This transformation is reflected in the government’s record allocation of ₹6.81 lakh crore ($82 billion) to the Ministry of Defence in the 2025-26 Union Budget, including ₹1.80 lakh crore ($22 billion) for capital acquisitions. 75% of the modernisation budget is reserved for domestic procurement, reinforcing India’s commitment to self-reliance under the “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiative.

Rajnath Singh also praised the increasing role of the private sector in defence production, citing the joint venture between Tata Advanced Systems and Airbus for manufacturing C-295 transport aircraft in Gujarat as a model for future collaborations.

India has made significant gains in indigenous defence production, with high-tech systems like the Astra Missile, New Generation Akash Missile, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, and Pinaka Guided Rockets now manufactured domestically. Singh reiterated the government’s resolve to surpass ₹1.27 lakh crore ($15.3 billion) in defence production and ₹21,000 crore ($2.5 billion) in defence exports, with expectations to reach ₹1.60 lakh crore ($19.3 billion) and ₹30,000 crore ($3.6 billion) by 2025-26.

2025 ‘Year of Reforms’ in Defence

With 2025 declared as the “Year of Reforms” in the Ministry of Defence, Singh assured that reforms were not just a slogan but a tangible commitment to strengthening the sector. “To take this drive forward more rapidly, the participation of all stakeholders is crucial. We welcome suggestions from all associated with the Ministry,” he stated.

Aero India, the event features high-profile discussions, including the Defence Ministers’ Conclave, a CEOs Roundtable, and the Manthan iDEX event, alongside aerial displays by cutting-edge Indian and international aircraft. The exhibition will reinforce India’s position as a “globally preferred destination for aerospace components and complex system assembly.”

Rajnath Singh compared Aero India to the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, saying, “While Maha Kumbh is the Kumbh of introspection, Aero India is the Kumbh of research. While Maha Kumbh focuses on internal strength, Aero India will centre on external strength.”

With the event opening its doors to business delegations until February 12 and the public from February 13-14, all eyes are on India as it showcases its aerial prowess and technological ambitions to the world.