The CEOs Roundtable, graced by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh on the opening day of the 15th Aero India on February 10, 2025, received an unprecedented response with the participation of 116 global CEOs. Numerous foreign and Indian Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) announced their plans for investments, collaborations, and setting up development centres and Centres of Excellence. Key announcements included:
- Ultra Maritime & Bharat Dynamics Limited signing an initial contract for the co-production of US specifications.
- Bharat Forge planning the manufacturing of Landing Gear for certain commercial aircrafts entirely in India.
- Safran, France & Bharat Electronics Limited partnering for the co-production of Hammer missile in India.
Fifty-eight foreign OEMs, including John Cockerill (Belgium), Airbus (France), Ultra Maritime (USA), GNT (South Korea), Mitsubishi (Japan), Safran (France), Liebherr Aerospace (France), L3Harris Technologies Inc. (USA), Thales (France), Lockheed Martin (USA), and Martin Baker (UK), attended the Roundtable. Indian OEMs included Bharat Forge Ltd, Adani Defence & Aerospace, Mahindra Defence Systems Ltd, Ashok Leyland Defence, and Defence Public Sector Undertakings.
Raksha Mantri invited the global OEMs to utilize the opportunities offered by the expanding Indian defence ecosystem and find targeted solutions to the challenges emerging due to the volatile geopolitical landscape.
The event was organized on the theme E.D.G.E., ‘Enabling Defence Cooperation through Global Engagement,’ focusing on business-centric technology development, joint ventures, manufacturing excellence hubs, industry-led capacity building, co-development, co-production, and technology transfer.
During the event, Raksha Mantri inaugurated the ‘Defence Testing Portal (DTP)’ and released a booklet on ‘Defence Testing Capabilities’ of the Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA). The DTP aims to enhance ease of doing business in defence testing by improving visibility, transparency, and accountability. The booklet serves as a guiding document for defence manufacturers during important stages of defence procurement and delivery processes.
A short film showcasing the robust Indian defence ecosystem and the remarkable evolution of India’s Aerospace & Defence Sector was presented, underscoring the country’s unwavering commitment and bold vision for the future.
