Aero India-09 gets off to a spectacular start in Bangalore

The seventh edition of 'Aero India' got off to a spectacular start at the Yelahanka air base in Bangalore today. Breathtaking mavoeuvres by Indian and foreign pilots in their fighter jets streaking and tumbling across the sky marked the beginning of the air show.  India’s  Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) 'Tejas', F/A-18 Super Hornet, Eurofighter Typhoon, F-16 'Falcon', Russian Mig-35D and IAF's Su-30 MKI, Jaguars and Mirage-2000  participated in the exercise.  Five of the newly inducted 'Hawk' advance jet trainers built by HAL and four LCA 'Tejas' also flew in impressive arrowhead formations at the display .

And in a befitting finale both the formation air displays by the Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team (SKAT) and the 'Sarang' helicopter team proved once again that they remain ever the show-stoppers at any air show. However, the true 'show-stealer' was the solo-display of the indigenously built Tejas, touted as the world's smallest modern fighter aircraft. The effortless manouevres drew loud applause from the onlookers.

Aero India 2009  was formally inaugurated by Defence Minister, Mr. AK Antony in the presence of the Ministers of State for Defence – Mr. Rao Inderjit Singh and Mr. MM Pallam Raju, Karnataka Chief Minister, Mr. BS Yediyurappa, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal F H Major, Navy Chief, Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Defence Secretary Shri Vijay Singh, Chairman HAL, Shri Ashok Baweja and other top dignitaries. Mr.Antony, in his opening remarks said despite the economic recession, there was no question of scaling down the defence expenditure, or compromising with the ongoing acquisition programmes. With defence industry now open to 100 per cent Indian private sector participation, and FDI up to 26 per cent, the government's emphasis is on public-private partnership in the defence industry, he said.

The next  Aero India will be held from February 9-13, 2011 at Bangalore.