India hosts Asia's largest defence exhibition

[Ruag]

India Gets Ready To Host Asia's Largest Defense Exhibition

New Delhi, India (AHN) - India is all set to host the largest defense exhibition in Asia from early next week. Defense minister, AK Antony will inaugurate the 6th Def Expo-2010 in New Delhi on Monday.

The exhibition will continue for four days and will showcase India's emergence as an attractive destination for investment in the defense sector and facilitate alliances and joint ventures in the defense industry.

The exhibition will be attended by 650 companies from over 35 countries and display weapon systems for Army and Navy.

The 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, informed an official release.

Defense ministers and naval chiefs from various countries will also attend the exhibition which ends on Feb. 18.

"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 defense industry to promote and showcase their products and services," the release said.

India's first exhibition was held in 1999 and subsequently it has been held at a two years gap.

From a modest 197 exhibitors in the first def expo, this year the number of exhibitors have gone up to more than 600. In the year 2008 there were 447 exhibitors from 29 countries.

Read more: India Gets Ready To Host Asia's Largest Defense Exhibition | AHN

----------------------------------------------------------------------

More info from AFP -

AFP: India to kick off its biggest arms fair

*India will spend $50 billion on military acquisitions by 2015.

*India will spend an additional $10 billion on homeland security by 2016.

*USA and Israel are by far the largest participants in the defence exhibition. This highlights the growing India-Israel-USA military partnership.

*31 Russian firms are also participating in the exhibition.