India’s biennial airshow Aero India is a showcase to New Delhi’s aspirations to emerge as an international Aerospace & Defence (A&D) power in its own right. On show at the 16th edition of Aero India, is India’s growing domestic military aviation design and development capability and New Delhi’s quest to leverage defence procurements to grow the domestic defence industry ecosystem.
India Ministry of Defence (MoD) will also be seeking greater ‘Bang-for-the-Buck’ for its USD80 billion dollar, annual defence budget, announced for the year 2025. The Government of India led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced a provision of Rupees 6.8 trillion to the MoD for FY 2025-26. Approximately US$21 billion, the equivalent of Rupees 1.8 trillion has been allocated as the capital outlay for the MoD.
As per the Indian MoD, Rupees 1.49 trillion, the equivalent of US$17.5 billion is planned to be spent on acquisition of new military equipment for the modernisation of the Indian armed forces, while the remaining Rupees 312 billion, worth nearly US$4 billion has been allocated for capital expenditure on Research & Development (R&D) and creation of infrastructural assets across the country. “In the current geopolitical scenario where the world is witnessing a changing paradigm of modern warfare, Indian Armed Forces need to be equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and have to be transformed into a technologically-advanced combat-ready force,” an Indian MoD spokesperson said. Some of the major acquisitions planned in 2025-26 are related to procurement of High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) and Medium-Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft(RPA), stage payments for the Navy’s new Rafale-M fighter jets, contracts for next generation submarines/ships/platforms, etc.
A substantial portion of India’s defence modernisation budget is now being earmarked for capital procurement from domestic industries. The MoD has earmarked 75 percent of the modernisation budget (Rupees 1.15 trillion) for procurement through domestic sources and 25 percent of this domestic share (Rupees 278 billion) Rs 27,886.21 crore has been provisioned for procurement through domestic private industries.
The growth of India’s indigenous A&D industry is most event with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and state-owned airframer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). ADA is tasked with design and development of the nation’s manned fixed-wing fighters and is showcasing a Full Scale Engineering Mockup of its 5th generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) for the first time. In addition to this, it is also showcasing scale models of the LCA Mk2 and the Twin-Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF). ADA is the design agency for the Tejas Mk-1 and Mk-1A, which cumulatively have orders from the air force for 123 aircraft, with orders for an additional 97 aircraft expected shortly.
HAL now boasts of a growing portfolio of indigenously developed aircraft and helicopters. HAL has unveiled the prototype of its Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior concept, which was first unveiled in 2021. HAL announced in January this year, that it had successfully conducted the engine ground run of the CATS – Warrior Full-Scale Demonstrator (FSD).
HAL is currently producing Tejas Mk-1, Mk-1A fighter jets and the Hindustan Turbo Trainer 40 (HTT-40) which is a basic trainer aircraft. In addition to this it is continuing with the development of the Hindustan Jet Trainer 36 (HJT-36) and at Aero India 2023 had unveiled its Hindustan Lead in Fighter Trainer (HLFT-42). HAL has also emerged as a rotorcraft powerhouse with the indigenously designed and developed Dhruv ALH, Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH). HAL’s Prachand LCH is the only attack helicopter in the world which can land and take-off at an altitude of 5000m (16,400 ft.) with considerable load of weapons and fuel. HAL is now also progressing with the design and development of the 13 tonne class Indian Multirole Helicopter (IMRH), which is expected to enter service in the next decade.
Aero India remains an important market for those seeking a share of India’s A&D requirements. New Delhi has uniquely balanced its defence purchases between the USA, Europe and Russia and companies in all these nations are hungry to grow their share. However, they now need to contend with India’s increasingly capable domestic defence industry ecosystem, which is developing fighter jets, helicopters, trainers, warships, nuclear submarines, missiles, et all. New Delhi is no longer satisfied with off-the-shelf purchases and this is the message that is being sent out, loud and clear at the ongoing airshow.
India’s biennial airshow Aero India is a showcase to New Delhi’s aspirations to emerge as an international Aerospace & Defence (A&D) power in its own right. On show at the 16th edition of Aero India, is India’s growing domestic military aviation design and development capability and New Delhi’s quest to leverage defence procurements to grow the domestic defence industry ecosystem.
India Ministry of Defence (MoD) will also be seeking greater ‘Bang-for-the-Buck’ for its USD80 billion dollar, annual defence budget, announced for the year 2025. The Government of India led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced a provision of Rupees 6.8 trillion to the MoD for FY 2025-26. Approximately US$21 billion, the equivalent of Rupees 1.8 trillion has been allocated as the capital outlay for the MoD.
![\"\"](\"https://gbp.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/1-1024x602.png\")
As per the Indian MoD, Rupees 1.49 trillion, the equivalent of US$17.5 billion is planned to be spent on acquisition of new military equipment for the modernisation of the Indian armed forces, while the remaining Rupees 312 billion, worth nearly US$4 billion has been allocated for capital expenditure on Research & Development (R&D) and creation of infrastructural assets across the country. “In the current geopolitical scenario where the world is witnessing a changing paradigm of modern warfare, Indian Armed Forces need to be equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and have to be transformed into a technologically-advanced combat-ready force,” an Indian MoD spokesperson said. Some of the major acquisitions planned in 2025-26 are related to procurement of High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) and Medium-Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft(RPA), stage payments for the Navy’s new Rafale-M fighter jets, contracts for next generation submarines/ships/platforms, etc.
A substantial portion of India’s defence modernisation budget is now being earmarked for capital procurement from domestic industries. The MoD has earmarked 75 percent of the modernisation budget (Rupees 1.15 trillion) for procurement through domestic sources and 25 percent of this domestic share (Rupees 278 billion) Rs 27,886.21 crore has been provisioned for procurement through domestic private industries.
The growth of India’s indigenous A&D industry is most event with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and state-owned airframer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). ADA is tasked with design and development of the nation’s manned fixed-wing fighters and is showcasing a Full Scale Engineering Mockup of its 5th generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) for the first time. In addition to this, it is also showcasing scale models of the LCA Mk2 and the Twin-Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF). ADA is the design agency for the Tejas Mk-1 and Mk-1A, which cumulatively have orders from the air force for 123 aircraft, with orders for an additional 97 aircraft expected shortly.
HAL now boasts of a growing portfolio of indigenously developed aircraft and helicopters. HAL has unveiled the prototype of its Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior concept, which was first unveiled in 2021. HAL announced in January this year, that it had successfully conducted the engine ground run of the CATS – Warrior Full-Scale Demonstrator (FSD).
![\"\"](\"https://gbp.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/GhA6T9wbcAAIeK_-1-1024x681.jpeg\")
HAL is currently producing Tejas Mk-1, Mk-1A fighter jets and the Hindustan Turbo Trainer 40 (HTT-40) which is a basic trainer aircraft. In addition to this it is continuing with the development of the Hindustan Jet Trainer 36 (HJT-36) and at Aero India 2023 had unveiled its Hindustan Lead in Fighter Trainer (HLFT-42). HAL has also emerged as a rotorcraft powerhouse with the indigenously designed and developed Dhruv ALH, Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH). HAL’s Prachand LCH is the only attack helicopter in the world which can land and take-off at an altitude of 5000m (16,400 ft.) with considerable load of weapons and fuel. HAL is now also progressing with the design and development of the 13 tonne class Indian Multirole Helicopter (IMRH), which is expected to enter service in the next decade.
Aero India remains an important market for those seeking a share of India’s A&D requirements. New Delhi has uniquely balanced its defence purchases between the USA, Europe and Russia and companies in all these nations are hungry to grow their share. However, they now need to contend with India’s increasingly capable domestic defence industry ecosystem, which is developing fighter jets, helicopters, trainers, warships, nuclear submarines, missiles, et all. New Delhi is no longer satisfied with off-the-shelf purchases and this is the message that is being sent out, loud and clear at the ongoing airshow.
`;-->
Headquartered in Singapore with reporters spread across all major regions, GBP Aerospace & Defence is a leading media house that publishes three publications that serve the aerospace and defence sector - Asian Defence Technology, Asian Airlines & Aerospace and Daily News. Known industry-wide for quality journalism, GBP Aerospace & Defence is present at more international tradeshows and exhibitions than any other competing publication in the region.
For over three decades, our award-winning team of reporters has been producing top-notch content to help readers stay abreast of the latest developements in the field of commercial aviation, MRO, defence, and Space.
Copyright 2024. GBP. All Rights Reserved.