PM Modi to inaugurate Defence Expo today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally inaugurate the 11th edition of Defence Expo, the biggest ever event in Lucknow, in the presence of Lucknow MP and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday.
The Expo will conclude on February 9.
Leaders of around 40 countries, including Czech Republic, Mexico, United Arab Emirates and South Korea among others would be participating in the event.
The Defence Expo’s theme for this year is ‘India: The Emerging Defence Manufacturing Hub’, and the event aims to bring leading technologies in the defence sector under one roof to provide opportunities for the government, private manufactures and start-ups.
A government spokesman said that the event would cover the entire spectrum of the country’s aerospace, defence and security interests.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is taking the lead role in organising the DefExpo-2020 in Lucknow in coordination with the Defence Ministry.
HAL CMD R Madhavan said, “The HAL is instrumental in organising major defence expos in the last couple of years, including this edition. HAL’s indigenously designed and developed fixed and rotary wing platforms will be a major attraction.”
Madhavan added that the HAL will display models of light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas, light combat helicopter (LCH), advanced light helicopter (ALH), Do-228 and Hawk at its indoor stall.
Besides, some of the avionics, accessories, assemblies, products such as indigenous digital map generator (i-DMG), engine and flight display unit, gas turbine electrical generator-60 (GTEG-60), air producer engine, glass cockpit for Do-228, automatic target recognition (ATR), digital sand rapid prototyping technology, etc., will also be displayed.
An upgraded Sukhoi-30 MKI cockpit simulator would be an added attraction at the HAL stall.
The light utility helicopter (LUH) will be showcased in the outdoor static display area and ALH Mk IV Rudra, LCH, LUH, Do-228 Civil, LCA Tejas will dazzle in the flying display.
The HAL plans to organise MoU signing programme, meetings with foreign delegations, seminars and conferences on diverse aerospace topics during the event.
In addition to exhibiting products and technologies and live demonstrations by Services, defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) and industry will showcase the land, naval, air and internal security systems.
Meanwhile, official sources said that the number of companies that had registered for participating in DefExpo 2020 went up to 1,000 from 702 in the last edition held in Chennai. There has also been a 96 per cent jump in booked space by exhibitors in this Expo to over 53,000 square metres, compared to around 27,000 square metres during the last edition.
There will be live demonstration at two locations — one at the exhibition site and the other at Gomti Riverfront.
Arrangements have been made to hold 19 technical and business seminars, of which 15 will be organised by various industry chambers, including Confederation of Indian Industries, PHD Chambers of Commerce and The Associated Chambers of Commerce of India. Topics for these seminars will be largely futuristic and include discussions on artificial intelligence, robotics, Internet of Things (IoTs), drones, wired warrior, etc.
During the Expo, around 5,000 students from various technical institutes of the state would be accommodated.
Entry will be free for general public on February 8 and 9.
Recently, a mobile app, developed exclusively for the Expo, was launched by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. It shares all vital information about the event, from traffic advisory to live demo and activities to look out for during the event.
