In a country where cricket is religion, the only thing that could divert attention away from it would be a bigger event.
Forget attracting crowds away from the television when a live or even old match is telecast. Yet this event in question brought admirers when a cricket match was happening in the same city.
The record breaking Aero India 2011 Air Show was one such grand expo. On the 9th of February, 2011, the event was inaugurated by the Indian Defense Minister A.K.Anthony and it proved to be more massive than the Aero India 2007, setting new standards.
Attracting people from defense and aerospace companies across the globe, as well as media and interested viewers, the venue for this remarkable event was the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru. India is fast emerging as a chief contender in aerospace and defense research, development and manufacturing, besides being a huge market for purchase of related products and services. This fact was corroborated by the presence of all major suppliers in this arena.
Being South Asia’s major air show, Aero India 2011 held its own in all aspects, including the spellbinding fly-past, aerobatic formations by the Indian Air Force (IAF) aircrafts, which spewed tricolor smoke representing the Indian flag, and the grand display of IAF’s fighters and helicopters. Not to mention the show of air power by international participants.
India’s military might was showcased at the eighth edition of the biennial aerospace and aviation trade expo. A case in point was made by the Defense Minister A.K.Anthony, who said that the Indian government was keen on modernizing the security forces to maintain peace and stability in the region. This is naturally an important concern for a country growing in economy and international prominence.
“Our Government is steadfast in its resolve to meet any challenge. We are, therefore, committed to ensure rapid modernisation of our armed forces and equip them with state-of-the-art systems, equipment and platforms. Our current defense expenditure – 2.5 per cent of GDP, is consistent with our projected security requirements and is bound to increase over the next two decades,” said Anthony, further reiterating the importance and growth of the defense requirements of India.
The show
Aero India 2011 was organized by the defense ministry and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The five day event showcased defense wares from about 675 exhibitors encompassing 380 companies from 29 countries, along with 295 domestic firms. Suppliers were keen to display their new technologies and products to both the Indian and international markets, using the event as a marketing platform.
About 75,000 sq.m. was designated for displays in this show, a significant increase when compared to the 45,000 sq.m. allocated in 2009. Also, eight countries had set up dedicated pavilions. Aircrafts displayed at the show were given access to 12 hangars at the Indian Air Force’s base in Yelahanka, along with seven temporary hangars.
The popular show offered huge business opportunities and served as a platform to initiate powerful partnerships. The event attracted several thousand business visitors and catered to nearly 200 business-to business meetings.
Thunderbirds in the sky
Air shows held periodically in cities across India attract huge crowds of adults and children. A show of this magnitude is sure to rope in more visitors. The first three days were earmarked for business meetings with the weekend days exposing the grandeur of the IAF aircrafts and others.
The fly-past started with Mi-8 formations, with the Indian tricolor fluttering along with flags of the Indian Air Force and the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The sky was a stage on which IAF Surya Kirans, Sarang and other aircrafts waltzed their way. The show highlighted the uniqueness and capabilities of 51 aircraft types, both in static and aerial displays.
Red Bulls, a professional aerobatics team from the Czech Republic, gave an impressive aerial performance besides interacting with the Surya Kiran pilots. Equally impressive were the Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team in their gleaming Kiran Mk-II aircrafts, who made the sky their canvas and drew smoke patterns, including a heart shape that reminded visitors about Valentine’s Day.
The inaugural day saw aircrafts looping, rolling and somersaulting in mid-air, maneuvering their way into visitors’ hearts and raising cries of joy and delight among them. Tejas, the indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft from India, was surely the hero. It flew for the first time in full public view. The smallest fighter aircraft in the world, Tejas made a vertical climb and did a belly turn in front of the podium, making every Indian on hand proud.
Five Jaguars flew in a V-formation (or arrow head formation) while the Sukhoi 30-MKI flew in trident formation besides displaying their short take-off prowess. Boeing’s F/A, or Super Hornet, the Gripen from Saab of Sweden and the Rafale from French aircraft manufacturer Dassault and Eurofighter Typhoon also glistened the sky with myriad maneuvers.
India’s gain
India’s Mark II of the Tejas aircraft, an indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft, is expected to be ready by 2015, said the Indian defense minister, adding that India will collaborate with Russia to develop fifth generation fighter aircrafts. The IAF is setting the stage to buy Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircrafts (MMRCA).
With self-reliance being India’s motto in defense equipment, the nation had to equip the armed forces with defense equipment, systems and platforms. This opened up avenues for joint ventures, public-private partnerships and licensed production to enable the transfer of technology. The defense offset policy now allows foreign defense contractors in civilian aircraft projects, which also facilitates the entry of international original equipment manufacturers.
This expo is expected to feed the huge Indian defense and aerospace market, which is expected to leap to $150 billion by 2030. Dealings for the supply of medium multi-role combat aircrafts formed the main highlight of the air show event, along with many other deals. Major international suppliers are vying for a part of the great Indian defense deal pie, as proven by the increase in the number of participants this year.
According to Air Chief Marshal PV Naik, the contract for the Medium Weight MultiRole Combat Aircraft, or MMRCA, valued at $11 billion, will be signed by September 2011. There are six supplier contenders, and five of them even put up their aircrafts for aerial displays, hoping to garner the sizable contract by impressing Indian defense experts. This huge deal would be for the procurement of 126 MMRCAs to replace the aging MiG-21s.
The MMRCA deal

The six contenders are Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, Lockheed Martin F-16, Moscow-based United Aircraft Corp’s MiG-35, French Dassault Rafale, EADS Eurofighter Typhoon and Sweden’s SAAB Grippen.

Eurofighter Partner Companies held talks with Indian counterparts to engage India as a production and development partner for the advanced swing-role combat aircraft.
Bernhard Gerwert, CEO of Cassidian Air Systems and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Eurofighter GmbH said, “Our ultimate objective is to win India as a key partner, co-developing and co-producing future upgrades and enhancements, new sub-systems, software, etc.”
India is expected to become a manufacturing and engineering partner as part of Eurofighter’s industrialization strategy. A future supplier network is envisioned which will include India into the Eurofighter supply chain and become home to the Eurofighter Typhoon. Eurofighter Typhoon is a strong contender for India’s MMRCA choice, as it is a modern multi-role combat aircraft with an airframe made of over 80% composites, including materials like carbon fiber composites (CFC), glassreinforced plastic, special alloys, etc.
At Aero India 2011, Russia exhibited various types of weaponry and was represented by MiG, Sukhoi, Almaz-Antei and Engineering Design Bureau, according to Rosoboronexport sources. Russian fighter jets MiG-35 and Su-35, the Yak-130 combat trainer, two versions of the Il-76MD transport plane (with different engines), the Il-78MK aerial tanker, MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB naval fighters and the Be-200 amphibious aircraft were on display, as well as several helicopters and air defense systems.
If the MiG-35 wins the tender, Russia will be transferring all key technologies to India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., besides providing assistance for the production of the aircraft in the country.
After the air show, U.S. Defense major Northrop Grumman was requisitioned for information regarding the MQ-4C Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Unmanned Aircraft Systems (BAMS UAS) by the Indian Ministry of Defense for use by the Indian Navy. Indian Navy may be adopting the MQ-4C to complement surveillance operations conducted by Boeing P-81 aircrafts for maritime surveillance. The company’s MQ-8B Fire Scout will serve the Indian Navy in military roles, homeland security and law enforcement.
If Sweden-based Saab Gripen bags the MMRCA deal for the fighter jets, then the company promises full, true tech transfer. The full Transfer-of-Technology (ToT) will include all critical sub-components, including AESA radars. The company also announced plans to open a Research and Development center in India, which will go into operation in five years with 300 to 500 Indian engineers. India will become a design and manufacturing hub besides being a large long-term market. Saab is supplying HAL with components for the export variants of HAL Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters supplied to South America.
Tata Advanced Systems Ltd inked an agreement with US-based Lockheed Martin to form a joint venture company, Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures, to build aerostructures for the C-130 aircraft produced by Lockheed Martin.
Tata group is striving to bag orders that the selected MMRCA supplier will have to place with local vendors upon winning the $11 billion defense contract, which will amount to 30% of the total contract value. Tata also joined hands with Sikorsky Aircraft Corp and United Technologies to make S-92 helicopter cabins in India.
Aero India 2011, which took place from the 9th of February to the 14th, brought to the limelight several aerospace industry players and distinctively appealing flying crafts and other associated equipment. About 75,000 interested visitors thronged the venue on the last day, even missing the ICC World Cup warm-up match in Bengaluru to witness major aerospace companies display their air power. Aero India expositions will be considered a sure-fire opportunity creator for global aerospace industries of the world well into the future. The next Aero India 2013 will be held between February 6th and 11th of 2013.
India is fast emerging as a large military spender with a huge defense procurement budget. The capabilities in automotive manufacturing, low-cost manufacturing facilities and offset policies are advantages available in India. Many Indian companies like Tata group are aiming to create a global aerospace brand by collaborating with international aerospace companies, said John Siddharth, industry analyst, aerospace and defense, for South and West Asia at consulting firm Frost and Sullivan