Gujarat will host its premier Defence Expo, the flagship event of the Ministry of Defence for the domestic and international market interested in the Indian arms market. The event will be held in Gandhinagar next March, with the theme ‘India as a defence manufacturing hub’.
Earlier editions of the event have been held at New Delhi, Goa, Chennai, and Lucknow. The decision to select Gujarat was finalised after interacting with all interested states that gave presentations to the defence ministry, sources said. Goa and Telangana had also been shortlisted for the show that brings thousands of representatives from global arms companies, Indian private sector players, and officials from the armed forces.
Gujarat is not a defence manufacturing hub but the state has the potential to tap into the growing industry set to be driven by Indian arms exports to the world. The largest private sector shipyard geared for producing naval warships is located in Gujarat. The Ahmedabad-based Adani Group has identified the defence sector as a focus area and has already invested in procuring smaller companies engaged in military manufacturing. The group has identified small arms and ammunition, anti-drone systems, and UAVs as its growth areas in the short term.
