Bengaluru: The 15th edition of the ‘Aero India’ event kicked off by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Bengaluru on Monday. The five-day event which will continue till February 14, will showcase the country’s aerial prowess and indigenous innovations. Various state-of-the-art products by companies across the globe will also be on display. Women pilots will also fly Rafale jets displaying the message of Naari Shakti’.
The theme of this year’s event is ‘The Runway to a Billion Opportunities’. In line with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’, the event will provide an opportunity for international collaborations and help in the Centre’s resolve of ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2024. During the event, the skies of the city with witness a breathtaking display of aerobatics.
Surya Kiran, Sarang teams to mesmerise the gathering
While the Indian Air Force’s Surya Kiran and Sarang teams will attract the participants with precision flying, the international aerobatic squad will also add the excitement of participants. Besides, the Indian Navy will showcase the MiG-29K, a fourth-generation carrier-borne fighter plane. This apart, Seaking 42B and anti-ship helicopters will also be on display. Along with these, the Light Combat Aircraft (Navy) will also be on display in the exhibition area.
It will also put on display the scaled model of Twin Engine Deck-Based Fighter or TEDBF, its upcoming deck-borne fighter. “Among the aircraft formations for the fly-past will be the all Navy VARUNA formation in a ‘V’ denoting ‘VICTORY’, with P8I in the lead flanked by MiG 29K and Hawk 132 aircraft,” the Indian Navy said in a statement on Sunday.
Women pilots to display ‘Naari Shakti’
Among the other key attractions in the event will be the Tejas formation, with Air Chief Marshal A P Singh flying one of the aircraft. Women pilots will also have Rafale jets displaying ‘Naari Shakti’. Among other initiatives, the Indian Army’s key ‘pet project’, Trakr, a quadruped robot, will also be on display. These four-legged robotic prototypes had earlier made waves in the Republic Day and Army Day parades in 2024.
Russian Su-57, American F-35 Lightning II on display this year
Apart from them, Russian Su-57 and the American F-35 Lightning II, considered as among the world’s most advanced fifth-generation fighter aircraft will also mesmerise the public. Notably 150 countries have participated this year.
