DEFENCE MINISTER TO INAUGURATE DEF EXPO – 2010 ON FEBRUARY 15, 2010

New Delhi

February 12, 2010

The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony will inaugurate the 6th Def Expo-2010 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi on Monday, February 15th. This was announced by Secretary Defence Production Shri RK Singh at a Press Conference in New Delhi, today. He said the four-day event will be the largest ever Defence Exposition in Asia and will showcase India’s emergence as an attractive destination for investment in the Defence Sector and act as a platform for alliances and joint ventures in Defence industry. Shri Singh said 650 companies from over 35 countries would display weapon systems for Army and Navy. Major participants are from USA, UK, Russia, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Korea, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, Germany, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Israel Italy, Malaysia and South Africa.

Organised by the Department of Defence Production, the exhibition will continue till February 18th. Dedicated to global land and naval systems business activity – from suppliers to manufacturers, technology providers to services – the Def Expo also offers an opportunity to the international defence industry to promote and showcase their products and services.

The Defence Production Secretary said the Def Expo would project the emergence of India as an attractive market as well as an investment destination for joint ventures in defence industry. The exhibition has generated attention globally and has carved a niche amongst major defence exhibitions around the world, he added.

The Def Expo was conceptualised in 1998 with an objective to promote defence exports from India and exhibit the capabilities of Indian defence R&D and production. The first exhibition was held in 1999 and subsequently in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. While a modest 197 exhibitors participated in the first Def Expo, the biennial event will feature 650 exhibitors in its 6th edition this year. Israel is the biggest participating country in terms of space occupied (1248 sq meters) while the United States is represented with the maximum number of 25 companies. In the year 2008 there were 447 exhibitors from 29 countries. The exhibition area has almost doubled from 17200 sq meter in 2008 to 30100 sq meter this year. Defence Ministers from UK, Bulgaria, Hungary, Nigeria, Turkey, Uganda, Senegal and Suriname along with Official delegations from 41 countries would attend the deliberations. Naval Chiefs from Kazakhstan, Mozambique, Brunei, Qatar and Senegal and Army Chief from Mongolia will also attend the exhibition.