Preparations ahead of the Aero India 2025, at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Starting Monday (February 10, 2025), for the next five days, the sound and sight of roaring military jets will rock the Bengaluru skies as the Aero India will kick off at the Yelahanka Air Force Station here.
The 15th edition of the biennial air show will be inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in the presence of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The first three days are dedicated to business visitors while the last two days are open to the general public.
The five-day event comprises Defence Ministers’ Conclave, CEOs’ Round-Table, iDEX start-up event, aerial displays, a large exhibition area comprising India Pavilion and a trade fair of aerospace companies.
Aero India, which is Asia’s biggest air show, will be organised in a total area of over 42,000 sq. m. and with the confirmed participation of more than 900 exhibitors, including 150 foreign companies.
In the last edition of the show in 2023, there were 809 exhibitors, businesses, investors, start-ups, and MSMEs, and more than seven lakh visitors attended the event.
Organisers said that this is set to be the biggest-ever Aero India till date.
Among the aircraft which will be on display are the fifth generation fighter jets of Russia, the SU-57 and the F-35 from the U.S., the KC-135 Stratotanker, B-1B Lancer and the multi-mission transport aircraft KC-390 Millennium from Brazil.
While the SU-57 will be making its debut at the Aero India, this will be the second outing for the F-35 at the show. However, there is no clarity yet if the F-35 would be part of the flying display.
“For the first time in history, Aero India 2025 will witness the participation of two of the world’s most advanced fifth-generation fighter aircraft — the Russian Su-57 and the American F-35 Lightning II. It marks a milestone in global defence collaboration and technological advancement, offering aviation enthusiasts and defence experts an unparalleled prospect to witness these state-of-the-art warplanes,” the Ministry of Defence said.
Among the Indian aircraft and helicopters which will participate in the show are the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, HJT 36, Hindustan Turbo Trainer (HTT-40), and Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) among others.
A functional full-scale engineering demonstrator of Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will also be showcased for the first time along with a full scale model of India’s fifth-generation fighter jet Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
Among the aerobatic display teams, only nine-aircraft Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) will be participating in the air show. The Indian Air Force’s Sarang Helicopter Display Team, which has displayed their formation aerobatics skills in the show for the last two decades, will not likely participate this time due to the grounding of the ALH Dhruv helicopter.
Published – February 09, 2025 11:41 pm IST
