Aero India 2019: Bengaluru to host Aero India air show in February  

The Defence Ministry on Saturday announced that the next edition of the biennial Aero India air show would be held in Bengaluru, amidst all the speculation and controversy that the Aero India may be shifted out.

Earlier, reports of it being held in Uttar Pradesh's capital city Lucknow in October-November this year were doing the rounds. The Defence Ministry also received requests from others states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Odisha and Tamil Nadu to host Aero India.

The Karnataka Congress wrote to Ms Sitharaman, telling her that as a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, she had to protect the interests of the state and ensure that Aero India was retained in Bengaluru.

Since its inception in 1996, Bengaluru has been hosting the air show. The last Aero India show took place in Bengaluru in February 2017 in the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru.

"The government has decided to hold the Aero India 2019 in Bengaluru from February 20 to 24, 2019," said the ministry in a statement from New Delhi.

The five-day event from February 20 to 24, 2019, will be held at the Yelahanka base of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on the city's northern outskirts amid tight security.

"The trade event will showcase technologies and products of global and Indian aerospace and defence firms, with static and flying display of military and civil aircraft, including fighters, jets, helicopters and air weapons.

"Besides global leaders and investors in the aerospace industry, think-tanks from the world over will participate in the show, providing an opportunity to exchange information, ideas and new developments in the industry," said the statement.

"The air show will also give fillip to the domestic aviation and further the cause of 'Make in India'. The defence production department is committed to ensure a result-oriented air show," added the statement.

Aero India has also been a platform for India to showcase the locally developed Tejas light combat aircraft and the Advanced Light Helicopter to the world.

Sadananda Gowda, Minister of Statistics & Programme Implementation, tweeted about the news.

(with inputs from agency)