Mesmerising mid-air manoeuvres leave audience spellbound at Aero India

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Mesmerising aerial display left the audience spellbound at the inaugural session of the Aero India-2023 here on Monday. The metal birds soared high and performed breathtaking aerobatics and mid-air maneuvering as the five-day aerospace and defence show took off at the Air Force Station Yelahanka.

There were displays by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited made Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, Light Combat Helicopters, Light Utility Helicopters and Sukhoi-30, and Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters, among others.

The inaugural show featured various formations such as ‘Tiranga’, ‘Dhwaj’, and ‘Bhim’. A key highlight of the inaugural session of Asia’s biggest aero show was the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari leading the Gurukul formation in the Tejas aircraft.

The Surya Kiran batch of the IAF stole the show with their scintillating performance. According to one of the pilots who participated in the show on Monday, the nine pilots formed the “diamond display”.

“This is my fourth Aero India performance ever since ‘Hawk’ was inducted,” the IAF pilot said. The 14th edition of the biennial show themed ‘The Runway to Billion Opportunities’ was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India rejuvenated defence production in 8-9 yrs; Tejas, Vikrant shining examples: PM Modi

India rejuvenated its defence production in the last eight-nine years and will now move fast to join the world's largest defence manufacturing nations riding on favourable economic policies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday.

After inaugurating Asia's largest air show 'Aero India 2023' at the Yelahanka Air Force station complex on the outskirts of Bengaluru, Modi said the event, which was earlier considered just a window to "sell to India", is showcasing the nation's strength as a potential defence partner and noted that India is now exporting defence equipment to 75 countries.

Listing various reforms and achievements in the sector, Modi sought to project India as an attractive investment destination to produce military hardware and said it is looking at increasing defence exports from $1.5 billion to $5 billion by 2024-25. Two F-35A supersonic multirole aircraft of the US Air Force were among the major attractions at the event.

In the presence of top executives of several Indian and leading foreign defence majors, the prime minister said made-in-India platforms like Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and INS Vikrant are shining examples of India's true potential in the defence manufacturing sector.

Modi said that Bengaluru's sky is "bearing testimony to the capabilities of New India". "This new height is the reality of New India, today India is touching new heights and transcending them too," he said.

Highlighting the Indian Air Force's commitment to selfreliance in defence, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari flew the indigenously-built Tejas light combat aircraft during an air show. The aircraft was one of the 10 Tejas that participated in the fl ypast witnessed by the prime minister Army chief General Manoj Pande fl ew in a Light Combat Helicopter.

"The New India of the 21st century will neither miss any opportunity nor will it lack any effort. We are geared up. We are bringing a revolution in every sector on the path of reforms. The country, which was the biggest defence importer for decades, is now exporting defence equipment to 75 countries of the world," he said.

Boeing launches its first global support centre in India

Boeing has launched its first Global Support Centre in India. Based in Gurugram, it will deliver customised operational efficiency and safety improvement projects for Boeing's airline customers, civil aviation regulatory bodies and other industry stakeholders, it said in a statement on Monday.

“With India continuing to see an unprecedented surge in civil aviation traffic, Boeing is committed to innovating and bringing value to modernise the Indian aviation ecosystem,” said Boeing India president Salil Gupte. The GSC would provide a platform to enable knowledge transfer for enhancing safety and increasing operational efficiency for Boeing's airline partners in the country, he added.

Boeing also announced an investment in a new logistics centre in India to cater to its regional customers. In the initial phase of the operations, the India logistics centre would focus on supporting airline customers. In the second phase, it would cater to the larger network of Boeing's customers in the region, the statement added.

US Air Force's F-35 aircraft ma