Largest Asian air show to begin today

The largest air show in Asia, held in Yelahanka, Bangalore biennially, is all set with its eighth edition, to enthrall around three lakh spectators and a three-fold increase in the number of delegates with about a 100 aircraft on static and flying display.

With ministry of defence (MoD)’s defence production department still recording registrations, there are 675 exhibitors in this edition registering a 16% increase over the last edition that had 581 in all, with USA leading the pack with 250 companies.

With 30 countries set to participate this year, including India, official representation is from 60 countries with 350 companies. Germany is being represented by 35 companies, Italy by 10, and 35 from remaining countries. Based on the online request for business passes, 70,000 business visitors and delegates will throng the venue, a figure twice that of 2009.

Through the first 11 months of 2010, US merchandise exports to India totalled $17.6 billion, 17% more from the same period in 2009. The air show which was called Avia-India when it began in 1993, the growth in Aero-India since 1998 to 2005 was marginal. It began showing a quantum increase in the gross exhibition area only from the 2007 edition. While it hovered between the 7,000-18,000 sq m mark from 1998 to 2005, it sharply rose to 30,000 sq m in 2007 and 44,000 sq m in 2009. This year, the organisers have increased the gross area to 75,000 sq m, a significant 70% increase over 2009.

The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas naval version will make its debut with a static display in this year’s show which introduces civil aviation for the first time. The maximum participation is from American companies and has Afghanistan participating for the first time. This time, aviation aficionados await a visual treat of fighters, helicopters and transport aircraft both from the military aerospace sector as well as from the civil aviation sector.

As with all previous editions, this time around also international exhibitors score over the domestic ones in terms of participation. There are eight country pavilions and 63 chalets at the venue. ISRO is also setting up a space stall that is expected to be a major attraction.

Coming as a surprise, since the Russian indigenous fifth generation fighter aircraft, T-50, made its debut flight last year and is ready for its second flight, the non-participation of the MiG-35 fighter from the show reflects on its position in the ongoing fighter jet deal competition of the Indian Air Force (IAF) for 126 planes. The MiG-35 from the Russian MiG Corporation is one of the competitors for the $12 billion deal along with five other global aircraft giants. A Russian source told DNA, “Since the MiG-35 was shown in the past two shows, plus it costs a lot of money to bring these fighters, could be the reasons for the Russian fighters not coming this time.”