Aero India 2019 to be held in Bengaluru

The Defence ministry on Saturday confirmed that the next edition of Aero India, which is considered as Asia’s largest aerospace exhibition, would be held in its traditional venue of Bengaluru in February next year.

The ministry announced the decision weeks after controversy over reports that the venue for the mega event might be shifted out of Bengaluru, which had hosted the show since its inception in 1996.

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In August, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had made a request to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to select Lucknow as the venue for Aero India, triggering angry reactions from various political parties in Karnataka.

“The Government has decided to hold the Aero India 2019 in Bengaluru from 20-24 February 2019. This five-day event will combine a major trade exhibition for the aerospace and defence industries with public air shows. Besides global leaders and big investors in aerospace industry, the show will also see participation by think-tanks from across the world,” the ministry stated in a release.

The ministry stated that besides giving a fillip to the domestic aviation industry, the event would further the cause of 'Make in India'. The five-day event will be held at the Yelahanka base.

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Days after Adityanath’s request to the Defence Ministry to host Aero India near Lucknow, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, insisting that Bengaluru would be the “best choice” for the event.

“Bengaluru being the hub for defence and aviation majors of the country, is certainly the most suitable place to conduct the show,” Kumaraswam said in the letter.

(With PTI inputs)