India Strengthens Defence Manufacturing and Exports at Major Air Show

India is set to expand its defence manufacturing and exports in the coming years, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced on Monday at the opening of the country’s largest air show, Aero India 2025, in Bengaluru. The event highlights India’s growing military ambitions amid increasing competition with China in South Asia.

As the world’s largest arms importer, India has been working to modernize its military while boosting domestic defence production. Singh revealed that India’s domestic defence manufacturing value is projected to exceed ₹1.25 trillion ($14.24 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 2025. Additionally, its defence exports will surpass ₹210 billion ($2.39 billion) for the first time. Singh reaffirmed India’s commitment to significantly increasing these numbers in the coming years.

The biennial Aero India exhibition, running until Friday, is expected to facilitate major military deals and joint production agreements. Over 150 foreign companies are participating, alongside defence ministers or representatives from about 30 countries, according to India’s defence ministry.

A key highlight of the event will be the display of two advanced fifth-generation stealth fighter jets—Russia’s Su-57 and Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II from the U.S. The defence ministry noted that this rare side-by-side display of Eastern and Western fighter technology underscores India’s role as a strategic hub for global defence collaboration.

In recent years, India has increasingly sourced defence equipment from Western nations, diversifying from its traditional reliance on Russia, whose defence sector has been impacted by the war in Ukraine. The U.S. embassy in India confirmed that over two dozen American exhibitors would engage with Indian counterparts to explore new business opportunities at the event.