NEW DELHI: This year’s Defence Expo 2022 will see around 1,000 manufacturing companies, including many from other countries. Also, the Indian government expects more agreements regarding defence manufacturing in this edition.
Sources in the Ministry of Defence said, “More than 900 companies which include more than 100 defence and aviation companies from over 55 countries have registered for the 12th edition of Defexpo to be held in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar from March 10.”
This number is expected to rise with improvements in the Covid-19 situation.
Talking about the India-Africas defence dialogue which took place during the Lucknow edition of the Defence Expo in 2020, a source said, “A total of 52 African countries have been invited. So far, 27 of them confirmed their participation.”
Overall, sources said, more than 50 defence ministers or service chiefs are to be present during the expo. A total of 1,000 small drones will perform during a defence ministers’ dinner by a start-up initiative.
These drones had also showcased different sets of manoeuvres during the Beating Retreat on January 29.
Aiming to further boost self reliance in the defence sector, a number of venture capitalists have been invited to the expo. They will identify prospective projects for investment.
Last time, around 200 Memorandum of Underlinings (MoUs) were signed between various manufactures which is expected to rise to around 250 this time, said extremely reliable sources in the establishment.