New Delhi/Bengaluru: Curtains have come down on the Aero India – 2019 at Air Force Station, Yelahanka, in Bengaluru. Having evolved over the years, the 12th edition of the event drew a large crowd that bears testimony to the Aero show having come of age.

The highlights of this year’s show have been:

1. More than 600 Indian companies and 200 foreign companies have participated in Aero India 2019. A total of 61 aircraft participated in the event.

2. The first three days at the show, earmarked exclusively for business visitors, saw a foot fall of approximately two lakh. The air show saw a lot of activity from business point of view and witnessed several round table meets.

 3. The show was a shot in the arm for the ‘Make in India’ campaign of the Government of India by virtue of its sheer magnitude and presence of stake holders from across the globe.

 4. The current edition of Aero India had many firsts to its credit and was the right platform to showcase growth in aerospace. Also, for the first time, a ‘Drone Olympics’ event was held with 58 entries.

5. Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman presided over a CEO conclave attended by 13 CEOs from overseas companies and 11 from Indian firms and exchanged views about the development of the sector.

 6. As many as 500 B2B meetings were held and as many as 50 MoUs were signed indicating the tag line of the show ‘The Runway to a Billion Opportunities’.

 7. Showcasing women achievers in the aerospace sector, and leading with the theme ‘Saluting the queens of the skies’, chief post master general (Karnataka circle) Charles Lobo released a commemorative stamp.

 8. There was a fire incident at the parking area of Aero India on February 23, which resulted in the burning of around 300 vehicles. However, this couldn’t dampen the spirit of the public as the last two days at the event saw a very high foot fall of local public thronging the venue to catch a glimpse of these wonderful men and women in their magnificent flying machines.

9. The ministry of defence, through their social media handles and regular press releases, ensured timely updates for the benefit of enthusiasts around the globe. A user-friendly mobile application had specially been prepared to help the public. An e-magazine was also published in Aero India website on a daily basis to keep the people abreast with the happenings at the Aero India 2019.

10. The current edition of Aero India had many firsts to its credit and was the right platform to showcase growth in aerospace. Also, for the first time, a ‘Drone Olympics’ event was held with 58 entries.