When Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described Aero India 2025 as the “Maha Kumbh of collaboration” at its inauguration on February 10, was he unwittingly comparing the humongous traffic jams caused by both events? The biennial airshow held at Air Force Station Yelahanka (AFSY) since 1996, is now paralysing Bengaluru with long traffic gridlocks. This time, it was unprecedented.
The airshow organisers point to the event getting “bigger and better” with every edition. “Bigger”, yes, but “better” is questionable. “Bigger” is directly linked to an ever-worsening paralysis on Bellary Road outside AFSY—a crucial arterial road connecting Bengaluru with Kempegowda International Airport, the third busiest airport in India. It’s a nightmare for Bellary Road users and can be intimidating for potential foreign and domestic investors, exposing Bengaluru’s vulnerabilities despite claims to be a global city. The citizens suffer due to the cascading effects of traffic snarls. It’s time for the harsh realisation to dawn that an overgrown Bengaluru can no longer sustain large events like Aero India.
Apart from collaborations and deals to buy/sell military aviation products, Aero India also attracts the public as a bonus, which the defence sector thinks is a welcome trend for raising awareness about military aviation. However, increasing footfalls at Aero India, apart from the excruciating traffic bottlenecks due to poor traffic management, is also leading to poorer event management. Except for those excited by business and strategic prospects, Aero India has become a mundane affair with the same patterns, except when—like this time—a Su-57 makes an entry to salvage Aero India’s reputation.
The scope to upscale Aero India to the levels of airshows in Paris or Singapore by improving facilities at AFSY is restricted. The station, in the vicinity of residences, railway tracks, and a national highway, belongs to the Indian Air Force and is used to train transport aircraft pilots and navigators.
It is time to look for another location to hold the ever-growing event. The defence ministry needs to scout for and develop a site exclusively for Aero India outside Bengaluru without compromising the advantage of proximity to India’s premier aircraft manufacturer, HAL, Defence Research & Development Organisation centres and the Aerospace Park in Devanahalli.