“The DefExpo 2020 will be the biggest ever such exhibition to be held in India. It will see the participation of more than 1000 defence-related companies in which 165 are from abroad,” said Defence Ministry Spokesperson, Bharat Bhushan Babu. This is an increase from a total of 702 companies including 160 foreign companies in the DefExpo 2018, held in Chennai.
The theme of the DefExpo is ‘India: The Emerging Defence Manufacturing Hub’. The aim is to bring the leading technologies in the defence sector under one roof and provide a myriad of opportunities for the government, private manufacturers, and startups. The event will cover the entire spectrum of the country's aerospace, defence and security interests.
“Another significance this time will the arrival of the delegations from more than 35 countries at the level of Defence Ministers and Service Chiefs. They will hold discussions with the Defence Minister and senior officials to enhance bilateral cooperation,” said Mr. Bharat Bhushan Babu. Over 70 countries are expected to participate in the exhibition, making it one of the biggest international exhibitions. A substantial number of MoUs are also expected to be inked during the expo.
The sub-theme of the exhibition is 'Digitial Transformation of Defence'. Around the world, a digital revolution is underway in the defence sector. The disruptive technologies are beginning to change the age-old ideas of warfare and adding new areas such as space and cyber landscapes. Artificial intelligence, ubiquitous sensors, additive manufacturing, and quantum science are few of the many areas making ripples in the defence technology sector. In this regard, the DefExpo 2020 provides a platform to collaborate with leading countries in such areas and further India's advances in this new defence landscape.
The DefExpo will also boost the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Government of India and spur the growth of the domestic defence sector. This will encourage India's defence exports as well as decrease the reliance on imports.
The exhibition will showcase the land, naval, air and internal security systems, in addition to exhibiting products and technologies and live demonstrations by the Services, Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and industry. The ‘India Pavilion’ will exclusively showcase the jointness between the public and private sectors and the innovation eco-system in India.
There will also be a sizeable Uttar Pradesh Pavilion at the DefExpo 2020. Apart from displaying its huge potential for the investors, the UP government will organise several cultural programmes showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the state.
Lucknow is an integral part of the Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor which comprises of 5 other nodes, namely, Agra, Aligarh, Chitrakoot, Jhansi, and Kanpur. Prime Minister Modi had laid the foundation stone for the Uttar Pradesh Defence corridor last year at Jhansi.
The Corridor will encourage Defence Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and promote Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).
A DefExpo 2020 app was launched by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in December to provide detailed information about the day-to-day events of the exhibition.
The exhibition will act as a catalyst in making India self-reliant in defence production and attract cutting edge technologies to the country. It will also aid in effectively protecting the security interests of India in the coming years.
Navin Sreejith
Assistant Director, DD News
