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LCAs,
MBTs the highlight of Seventh Aero India show
by
Praful Kumar Singh
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The Surya Kiran team of the Indian Air Force performing
at the Aero India inaugural show at the Air Force
Station in Bangalore on February 11
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Bangalore:
Inaugurating Asia's premier air show at Yelahanka
Air Force Station today, Defence Minister AK Antony described
the Light Combat Aircraft and Main Battle Tanks as the
highlights of the seventh edition of 'Aero India 2009'.
He said the performance of LCAs and MBTs was very satisfactory
as they stole the show at the grand spectacle. "This year's
Aero India is biggest ever in size and scale in terms
of arrangements, participation, business delegations and
most importantly the coordination between various agencies
organizing the show. India is emerging as a great aero-space
power. The manoeuvres of India-made LCAs and MBTs make
India feel proud," he stated. "We are not going to stop
with these initial successes. Our aim is to achieve at
least 70 percent self sufficiency and indigenous production
capacity, which is about 30 percent currently. We will
achieve this goal with the efforts of DRDO, PSUs and Armed
Forces," he added.
Antony explained how India has come a long way from the
time when its first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had
initiated the process of defence production in India from
literally zero ground level. He said several hurdles like
end-user verification provisions of US for supplying defence
equipment are being sorted out through consultations and
negotiations. "When we started LCAs and MBTs, many were
skeptic about our capabilities, but now we have proven
that we can. Similarly India will increase domestic production
component of our defence needs either through our own
projects or co-production," Antony explained.
- Feb 11, 2009
