Key Takeaways from Aero India 2023

Key Takeaways from Aero India 2023

News: Aero India 2023 was recently concluded.

Key Takeaways:
 Over 200 agreements worth around Rs 80,000 crore were signed during the 2023 edition of Aero India, India’s biggest aviation exhibition.
 Over 800 companies participated, 700 of which were Indian.
 Russian participation was measured however USA, by contrast, had a high voltage presence.
 The large US presence has geo-political significance as they look to woo India away from Russian dependence. The bulk of India’s military equipment come from Russia and Russia is under Western sanctions.
 With India pushing its self-reliance plans, including earmarking 75 per cent of the capital budget for 2023-24 for domestic procurements, almost all foreign companies spoke about the Make in India programme, and joint development and co-production in India.
 During the inaugural ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India will target an increase in defence exports to $5 billion by 2024-25 from the $1.5 billion at present.

Some of important Fighter jets, helicopters, guns from different countries that you must know:
 USA - The supersonic F-35A Lightning II and F-35A Joint Strike Fighter multirole jets, Lockheed Martin presented the F-21 fighter, C-130J transport aircraft, MH-60R “Romeo” multi-mission helicopter, JAVELIN weapon system, and S-92 multirole helicopter.
 Russia - Fifth-generation Su-57E multirole fighter, Checkmate light tactical aircraft, IL-76MD-90A(E) military transport aircraft, and Su-35, Su-30, and MiG-35D fighter aircraft. However, none of them were flown in to participate in aerial demonstration.
 UK – UK delegates brought with them manufacturing giants such as Rolls Royce, BAE Systems, MBDA UK, and Collins Aerospace.
 Israel – They showcased models of the Heron Mk 2 and Heron TP UAVs — the former is already in use with the Indian armed forces.
 France - Among the French firms present at the event were Dassault Aviation — which showcased the Rafale and its marine version, and the Falcon 2000 aircraft — and Safran.
 Sweden – Advanced fighter aircraft Gripen E.

What did India showcase?
 The 2023 Edition of the Air Show saw heavy emphasis placed on Indian designs, with displays of large formations of Indian helicopter designs such as the “Advanced Light Helicopter” (ALH), “Light Utility Helicopter” (LUH) and “Light Combat Helicopter” (LCH).
 The Light Combat Aircraft – Tejas also appeared as the crown jewel of India’s Aerospace industry.
 HAL’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, Hindustan Lead-in Fighter Trainer 42 (HLFT-42)
 By displaying India’s defense innovations, the event will allow local MSMEs and startups to increase their footprint in the global supply chain.
 An analysis of the latest edition of Aero India shows mixed results. While the attendance of the PM himself shows the increasing importance to the Air Force, the fact remains that the Indian Air Force remains woefully under-strength, with just 31 operational squadrons as opposed to a sanctioned strength of 42.

Conclusion
 The Indian Government has made significant efforts to get private investments and private players into the aerospace industry. This policy has now begun to lay the foundation of a competitive aerospace industry.