Invest India at the Aero India 2019

Author: Swetha Murali

Aero India is a biennial airshow and aviation exhibition held in Bengaluru, Karnataka at the Yelahanka Air Force Station organised by the Ministry of Defence. Aero India 2019 also saw the participation of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Over the years Aero India has established itself as a premier aerospace event in the region and as of the latest edition, it has cemented its place as Asia’s largest air show. Aero India 2019, held earlier this year, provided a platform that brought together industry titans, OEMs, MSMEs, innovators in the industry, policymakers from around the globe and other key players in the aviation, aerospace and defence industries. The show had over 50 aircraft on display and witnessed enthralling aerobatic performances from Indian and foreign teams including Yakovlev- a repeat performer and crowd favourite.

Team Invest India’s involvement in this edition of Aero India began at a very nascent stage of its planning. Right from conceptualising the logo and tagline for the event to executing multiple events on the ground the Brand Communications team and Defence & Aerospace teams at Invest India played an active role in the success of the show. 

On the first day, Invest India organised a CEO’s Roundtable chaired by the Hon’ble Defence Minister of India, Ms Nirmala Sitharaman. The Roundtable brought together the leadership of global giants in the defence and aviation sectors, key government stakeholders from the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Civil Aviation, and Indian leaders in the sector. The Roundtable laid the foundation for more robust interaction between the private and public sectors with an eye on bolstering the Make in India campaign and increasing the ease of doing business in India. It served as the first step in increasing manufacturing in India in the defence and aerospace sector.

Day two saw the execution of the immensely successful Startup Manthan, conceptualised by and executed under the aegis of the Department of Defence Production. Invest India worked closely with stakeholders in the department, the startup ecosystem and CNBC to organise an engaging panel discussion with industry leaders and the government. Invest India played a critical role in curating the event and bringing the participants together.

In a lead up to Women’s Day at Aero India, a Townhall was organised on the third day. The event focused on telling the stories of inspiring women in aviation. The panellists ranged from women in the armed forces, civil aviation, and research. Invest India extended its full support in managing the various stakeholders and in the planning and execution of the event. This event, like the Startup Manthan, was broadcasted in parts live on CNBC and the full events were aired on a later date.

Women’s Day at Aero India was a celebration of the achievements of women who broke the glass ceilings in the sector and soared high. Invest India’s involvement in the day also extended to the conceptualisation of a series commemorative stamp celebrating ‘Women in Aviation’. 

Going forward, Invest India looks forward to making the next edition of Aero India an even bigger success.