Aero India 2027 is set to come back to Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru, Karnataka, from February 8 to 12, 2027. It will be the 16th edition of the event and one of the biggest airshows in Asia. The show is held every two years, so it gives India’s aerospace and defence world a regular chance to meet global companies, military teams, and industry experts in one place.
The event will be run under the Ministry of Defence system. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, or HAL, will work as the nodal agency, while Bharat Electronics Limited, or BEL, will support the event. Aero India is organised by the Defence Exhibition Organisation under the Department of Defence Production, and it also has support from the Indian Air Force, DRDO, the Department of Space, and the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
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Aero India
Aero India is not just a show of aircraft. It is a big meeting point for aircraft makers, defence firms, military delegations, and people linked to the aerospace business. The event gives them a place to show new technology, look for partners, and build deals for future work in India. It also helps India show that it wants to grow as a strong aerospace and defence manufacturing base.
The previous edition, Aero India 2025, was held at the same place from February 10 to 14, 2025. The Defence Exhibition Organisation described it as the 15th edition of Asia’s premier aerospace and defence exhibition. That edition used the theme “The Runway to a Billion Opportunities,” which focused on local manufacturing, new ideas, and global partnerships.
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Defence goals
The government has set a target of ₹3 lakh crore in defence manufacturing and ₹50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029-30.
In FY 2025-26, the country’s defence production reached a record ₹1.78 lakh crore. This was 15.6% higher than ₹1.54 lakh crore in the previous financial year and 110% more than ₹84,643 crore recorded in FY 2020-21.
The government now aims to raise defence manufacturing to ₹3 lakh crore by 2029-30. It also wants defence exports to reach ₹50,000 crore during the same period.
Exports growth
India’s defence exports also touched a new high of ₹38,424 crore in FY 2025-26, up 63% from ₹23,622 crore a year earlier. Recent deals to supply BrahMos cruise missiles and Astra beyond visual range air-to-air missiles to Indonesia are expected to give another boost to exports.
India now exports many defence products, including missiles, artillery guns, rockets, armoured vehicles, offshore patrol vessels, radars, surveillance systems, ammunition, protective gear, components, and other defence systems.
The number of defence exporters increased from 128 to 145 in FY 2025-26. Government reforms, such as simpler industrial licensing rules and easier export approvals, have also helped the sector grow.
India’s arms imports fell by 4% between 2016-20 and 2021-25. According to a Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report, India remains the world’s second-largest importer of military hardware, accounting for 8.2% of global weapon imports.
