Aero India 2019 kicks off day after tragic crash

BENGALURU:  Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday, flagged off the 12th edition of Aero India, at Yelahanka Air Force Base, in Bengaluru. The five-day event will witness the participation of leading international defence and civil aviation firms.

A two-minute silence was observed at the start of the event, to mourn the death of Wing Commander Sahil Gandhi. Sahil died on Tuesday morning after his Hawk aircraft had a mid-air collision with another aircraft of the Suryakiran team while performing a high-risk stunt manoeuvre during the full dress rehearsal on Tuesday morning.

Speaking at the event, Sitharaman said that the government has signed 150 contracts worth `1.27 lakh to procure defence equipment in the last three to four years. Steps are being taken to encourage defence manufacturing in India, she said.

Railways and Civil Aviation minister, Suresh Prabhu said that India was planning to add 100 more airports in the next 10-15 years. The project is expected to cost 65 billion dollars, he said. “We are working on a strategy to come up with Vision 2040, in order to ensure that India stands either first or second in terms of aviation in the world,” he said.

In order to meet these targets, the country will need to buy two to three thousand more aircrafts, he added. A total of 63 aircraft are being displayed at the event, with flying displays of aircraft such as Dassault Rafale, Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, Sarag aerobatic display team and others.