Indian defence manufacturing companies will have a major presence in International Aerospace Exhibition and Conferences – ILA 2008, popularly known as Berlin Air Show.

The Berlin Air Show is the oldest air show in the world dating back to 1909. India is participating in this leading air show as a Partner Country for the first time in Defence sector. Germany’s Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel will open the Air Show on 27 May during a 90-minute tour of the event. She will be accompanied by Indian defence minister Antony, Mr Michael Glos, Federal Minister for Economics and Technology, Mr Matthias Platzeck, Minister President of the Land Brandenburg, Mr Harald Wolf, Mayor of Berlin and Senator for Economics, Technology and Women, and Mr Jürgen Thumann, President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI).

The Air Show provides an ideal platform for exploring business opportunities and joint ventures. A large number of Indian companies – both public and private and Defence Organisations will showcase their defence related capabilities and products at the Show. The composite India Pavilion covering 1200 sq meters will witness the participation of five Defence Public Sector Undertakings namely Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI); the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and five private defence industries – TATA group of companies, Larsen & Toubro, CADES, ACCORD Software & Systems , Saraswati Dynamics. Indicative of the importance being attached to India, a seminar on “Opportunities in the Indian Defence Sector” will be held on 28 May . The SARANG team of Indian Air Force will give a scintillating display of aerobatics with their helicopters. The Air Warriors Symphony Orchestra will also perform at Berlin Air Show.

The delegation to accompany the Defence Minister includes Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, Defence Secretary Vijay Singh, Secretary Defence Production Pradeep Kumar, DG Acquisition SK Sharma, Advisor to Defence Minister Sundaram Krishna, Additional Secretary Defence Production Ajoy Acharya, Joint Secretary (Exports) Satyajit Rajan besides representatives of DPSUs. Minister of State for Defence Production Rao Inderjit Singh will also be attending the Berlin Air Show from May 28.

Indian defence minister Antony will start his official engagements with a visit to the Berlin War Cemetery and pay his homage. It is the place where 51 soldiers of undivided India who died during the World War II have been laid to rest.