Rajnath Singh: Aero India to bolster diplomacy, strengthen India’s alliance with like-minded nations in era of uncertainty

“There is no Indian security or Indian peace in isolation; Security, stability & peace are shared constructs that transcend national borders.” – Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh

Apart from showcasing India’s industrial capability and technological advancements, Aero India 2025 has the “bigger objective” of strengthening the country’s symbiotic relations with foreign countries as New Delhi believes that “lasting peace can only be achieved if nations become stronger together and work for a Better World Order”.

This was what Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted while inaugurating the 15th edition of Asia’s biggest aerospace and defence exhibition at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru on Monday.

“Aero India 2025, a confluence of critical & frontier technologies, will provide a platform to further strengthen relations among like-minded countries based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual benefit to deal with today’s uncertainties,” Singh pointed out.

Highlighting how the five-day event has brought together government representatives, industry leaders, air force officers, scientists, defence sector experts, start-ups, academia, and various other stakeholders from across the world, the Defence Minister said this “confluence” would bring India’s partners closer to benefit all.

“We often interact as buyers and sellers, where our relations are at a transactional level. However, at another level, we forge our partnership beyond the buyer-seller relationship to the level of Industrial Collaboration. We have many successful examples of co-production and co-development with like-minded countries. For us, there is no Indian security or Indian peace in isolation. Security, stability and peace are shared constructs that transcend national borders. The presence of our foreign friends is a testimony to the fact that our partners share our vision of One Earth, One Family, One Future,” added Rajnath Singh.

He pointed out that in the present environment of global uncertainty, India is one such big country which is witnessing peace and prosperity. “India has never attacked any country nor has it been involved in any great power rivalry. We have always been an advocate of peace and stability. It is part of our fundamental ideals,” he said.

Singh asserted that India was going through a transformational phase, rapidly moving from a developing to a developed nation. He added that a vibrant and thriving defence industry ecosystem had been created in the country due to a concerted, sustained and well thought out roadmap by the Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He stressed that the defence industrial sector, which was earlier not viewed as a component of the national economy, has today been fully integrated with the overall economy. The sector is now a motor, powering the growth engine of the Indian economy, he said.

In this context, the Defence Minister highlighted how the record allocation of Rs 6.81 lakh crore to the Ministry of Defence in Union Budget 2025-26, including Rs 1.80 lakh crore for capital acquisition, was proof that the government considered defence as a top-priority sector. He added that like the previous budget, 75% of the modernisation budget had been reserved for procurement through domestic sources with an aim to widen and deepen the capabilities of India’s Defence Industrial Complex.

He reiterated the government’s commitment towards enhancing the participation of private players in this overall growth story. “The private sector is going to play a big role in the economic mainstreaming. Due to its drive, resilience and entrepreneurship, the sector is capable of bringing a new wave of prosperity in the country. In many advanced countries, private industry has led defence production. The time has come that, here as well, the sector becomes an equal partner in the defence industry,” he said.

The Raksha Mantri added that the defence manufacturers were working with a collaborative approach to strengthen the defence sector, terming the joint venture between Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Airbus for the production of C-295 transport aircraft in Gujarat as a shining example of this cooperation. He added that today India has become a Globally Preferred Destination for Aerospace Components & Complex System Assembly and the public sector & private industries were playing an important role in this transformation.

Shedding light on the accomplishments achieved from the last Aero India, Singh stated that a number of high-tech products such as Astra Missile, New Generation Akash Missile, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, Unmanned Surface Vessel, Pinaka Guided Rocket were being manufactured within the country. He voiced the Government’s unwavering resolve to surpass the Rs 1.27 lakh crore defence production and Rs 21,000 crore defence exports figures in the coming times, and ensure that the defence sector moves ahead at an unprecedented pace. It may be recalled that during the curtain raiser press conference of Aero India 2025 last evening, the Raksha Mantri had expressed confidence that defence production would exceed Rs 1.60 lakh crore by the end of 2025-26 and defence exports would surpass Rs 30,000 crore.

On 2025 being declared as the ‘Year of Reforms’ in the Ministry of Defence, Raksha Mantri termed it as not just a government slogan, but the Government’s commitment towards reforms. He said the decisions for reforms were not being taken only at the Ministry level, but Armed Forces and DPSUs were also participating in the endeavour. “To take this drive of reforms forward more rapidly, there should be participation of all stakeholders in the defence sector. Suggestions from all stakeholders associated with the Ministry are welcome,” he said.

It may be noted that “The Runway to a Billion Opportunities” is the broad theme of the present edition of Aero India. In line with “Atmanirbhar Bharat” and “Make in India, Make for the World” vision, the event is providing a stage to forge international collaborations to fast-track the indigenisation process, thereby providing a thrust to Prime Minister Modi’s resolve of making the country “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India) by 2047.

The 15th edition of Asia’s biggest aerospace and defence exhibition, inaugurated by the Raksha Mantri, will showcase, over the next five days, India’s aerial prowess and indigenous cutting-edge innovations alongside state-of-the-art products of global aerospace companies. In line with the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ vision, the event will also provide a stage to forge international collaborations to fast-track the indigenisation process, thereby providing a thrust to Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s resolve of making the country Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Apart from the Defence Minister, Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth, Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka D K Shiva Kumar, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Karnataka Chief Secretary Dr Shalini Rajneesh, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, and Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.