Government of Telangana is drawing up plans to convert the state into a hub for defence and aerospace industry. An international Aero-Defence summit starting in Hyderabad today, would be the first step in that direction.
Leveraging the latest change in the nation’s defence policy the Telangana government is organizing an International Aero and Defence Industry summit from 12th to 14th November in Hyderabad. This would be the first defence industry meet organized by a state government after the announcement of FDI increase to 49%.
The defence and aerospace industry in India, has witnessed the most technological breakthroughs over last 7 decades, when compared to the traditional industries. This is firmly evident from the successful missions such as Mars Orbiter Mission, Interceptor Missile PDV, Ballistic missile Agni 5 and the supersonic cruise missile Brahmos. After the introduction of Defence Offset Policy, India has become a key outsourcing hub for the global defence industry. The recent increase in the FDI will herald a new era of unprecedented industrial growth in the future, which will match those of the fastest growing economies.
The event will be inaugurated by Chief Minister of Telangana, Sri K Chandrashekar Rao on 12th November. The industry summit has participation of around 100 international and 200 national delegates from 16 different countries, and 25 international and 60 national companies. Key global players participating in this industry summit: Dassault Aviation, EADS, Eurocopter, Lockheed Martin, Pratt and Whitney, Israeli Aerospace Manufacturing Federation, Honeywell, Rafael, Rolls Royce, Messe Berlin GMBH, Tata Advanced Systems, US India Aviation Cooperation Program, Avion, BAOA, Bell Helicopter, Boeing, Air Bus etc.
Telangana Government Officials will deliver key note addresses on the sectorial aerospace and defence industry policies, and opportunities in Telangana state: IT, Electronics & Communication Minister Sri KT Rama Rao, Sri Rajiv Sharma (IAS) Chief Secretary, Sri B V Papa Rao (Retd IAS) Advisor to the Government of Telangana, Sri Pradeep Chandra (IAS), Sri Jayesh Ranjan (IAS).
The event hosts an international conference and the speakers include top most defence scientists of India, Dr V K Saraswat (Former SA to Defence Minister), Dr Avinash Chander (SA to Defence Minister, Secretary R & D Defence), Dr Satish Reddy (Director, RCI), retired Navy Admirals, Air Chief Marshals and directors of various DRDO laboratories. There will also be two day exhibition of stalls by industry participants and the government of Telangana has arranged a separate pavilion for the local SMEs located in and around of Hyderabad to show case the existing vibrant eco system. Telangana government is proud to mention that some of very important components in our spacecrafts and missiles are manufactured by our local SMEs in Hyderabad and whose exhibits will be one of the key attraction of this event.
Historically, Hyderabad is the nerve centre for our country’s defence programme. All the leading National R&D Institutions under the umbrella of DRDO are located here. The major manufacturing units related to defence industry are also in and around Hyderabad since the last so many decades. With this international industry summit, Government of Telangana would like to showcase that Hyderabad is the best destination for both international & national players who wish to use the defence offset policy and indeed the increase in FDI.
The Chief minister of Telangana is firmly committed to make Hyderabad as an innovation hub for defence and aerospace sectors, and a preferred global destination for manufacturing of missiles, satellites, launch vehicles, civil and fighter aircrafts. The government will conduct this kind of event every year and the mission will be to attract investments of INR 100,000 crores in Defence and Aerospace sector by 2020 and creating direct employment for 2 lakh skilled manpower.