India is becoming a force to reckon with in the defence sector, as evident in the country’s military exports that have jumped 800%, said Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar during a media briefing session in Gandhinagar for the forthcoming DefExpo 2022 on Friday.
Highlighting India’s global potential in innovation, indigenous designs and world-class military apparatus, Dr Kumar reminded that India was the third country to demonstrate drones.
He added that a new air force base would be built in Deesa, Gujarat.
The five-day DefExpo event will be held from October 18 to 22 at an exhibition centre at Gandhinagar’s Helipad Ground. The first three days of the event are reserved for business communities and October 21 and 22 will be open to the general public.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the event on the second day.
This year’s DefExpo event, which will be organised in a 1 lakh square metre area, is expected to attract over 1300 participants. India’s three armed forces, the Defence Research and Development Organisation, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, India Chamber of Commerce and the state governments of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh will participate in the event, which will be attended by 25 defence ministers.
A total of 50 countries have been invited from the African, American and Indian Ocean Regions.
