Bengaluru is all set to host the 14th edition of Aero India in 2023. Considered to be Asia’s biggest airshow, the dates have not been formally announced yet but it is usually held in February. In Bengaluru, the show is expected to be held at the Air Force Station in Yelahanka. This venue has been hosting the airshow since 1996, according to The Hindu.
Aero India is a biennial air show that is held in Bengaluru by the Defence Exhibition Organisation, which is a part of the Ministry of Defence. During the Aero India show, several manufacturers and service providers from the Indian aerospace industry meet potential customers. During the fourth edition of the show in 2003, about 176 exhibitors from 22 countries from across the world participated in the show. The number doubled in 2005, when there were 380 participants. The 7th edition, which was held in 2009, saw as many as 592 exhibitors from over 25 countries.
The latest edition of Aero India was held between February 3 to 5 in 2021. The Air Force Station in Yelahanka was the designated venue. The theme of the event was ‘Conceive, Indegenize, Collaborate’. Reports said that foreign aircrafts could not make an appearance in the 2021 edition of the show owing to the pandemic. Apart from exhibitions of aircrafts, a deal was also signed between the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Ministry of Defence for the production of 83 HAL Tejas Mk1As (single engine fighter jets).