The Hindu Business Line : The show is getting bigger and better

‘Recession’ will be a forgotten word here for the next five days as Aero India 2009, the nation’s own version of Farnborough or Le Bourget, takes off at the Yelahanka Air Force Base on Wednesday.

The Armed Forces are on a modernising track and in buying mode, scouting for fighters, transport planes, surveillance and naval helicopters. The Indian Defence bazaar is estimated to be around $30 billion by 2012. As such, the event promises to be a show of might, where military czars come to talk deals in billions of dollars for their killer ware.

High security

Coming soon after the November Mumbai terror attacks and new threats, the seventh Indian air show opens amidst a heavy and unprecedented security maze. Twenty-five countries are participating, and 303 foreign exhibitors, 50 delegations and 11 military chiefs will be present for all or part of the five-day air and trade spectacle.

“Security has been of major concern this time,” said Mr Pradeep Kumar, Secretary, Defence Production, at the customary pre-event media briefing. “We have had to enhance security and surveillance with a thee-tier (ring) to ensure foolproof systems.”

The eight-month-old Bengaluru International airport is some 10 km north, sharing air space with the military base.

The normally impregnable IAF base, some 30 km to the north of Bangalore, is on an alert level that is two to three times that for the 2007 event. The Ministry of Defence, which organises the two-yearly show, has deployed 140 CCTVs, almost five times that in 2007; 330 defence personnel, three BSF platoons, a Garud special team and 180 security personnel, apart from eight baggage screening machines. For the first time, entry passes are by RFID.

Aero India 2009 has grown to be bigger and better in two years and has come to be a major air show in the region, Mr Kumar said. From 7,000 sqm in 1998 and 30,000 sq.m in 2007, the exhibition space is 44,000 sq.m this time. There are 289 Indian exhibitors and 303 from overseas. Six countries have their own pavilions.

Variety on offer

There will be transport planes, some frontline fighters such as the MiG35, US planes F-16 and F/A-18; and four Eurofighter Typhoons, showing up for the first time in South Asia. Domestic star products such as the light combat aircraft Tejas, the advanced light helicopter Dhruv and the usual Suryakiran team will have flying displays.

The special feature, B2B forum, has got 300 responses from Indian and foreign companies. An ISRO space pavilion and an outreach for youth by four engineering colleges are the new additions.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd will hand over five Dhruv copters to Ecuador during the show. It is also expected to bag a deal from Surinam.

The IJT or intermediate jet trainer being built by HAL will not be ready to fly this time, too. One of the two prototypes of the trainer plane belly-landed after a flight last week. The plane had an accident during the 2007 show, too.

The Swedish Gripen JAS-39 will not be there. Gripen is a fighter entry for the IAF’s Rs 45,000-crore purchase bid.

The who’s who of defence aviation will congregate here: Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Boeing group, EADS, Russia, Israel, France, Germany, even China.

Major US presence

From virtually a handful of companies dominated by Boeing, the US is putting up its biggest presence at Bangalore, led by its Ambassador, Mr David Mulford, military leaders and defence officials.

Two of its companies — Lockheed Martin and Boeing IDS — are in the race for the IAF’s 129-plus fighter planes. The US contingent will include more aircraft, more sophisticated equipment and greater participation of VIPs than before, the US consulate said. Its F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet, C-17 Globemaster III, C-130J Hercules and KC-135 Stratotanker will be on flying or static display.

“The US participation in Aero India highlights the US desire for increased defence co-operation with India and the importance it places on international defence cooperation in general,” the release said.

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