Hyderabad Set to Host Defence Expo Under Global Investment Summit
Hyderabad is gearing up to host a major defence expo later this year, and the Telangana government is backing the initiative with a new policy push. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said the state will soon introduce Aerospace and Defence Policy 2.0 to attract large investments and promote the city as an ideal location for defence research.
At the curtain raiser for the 'Rakshya Expo' on Saturday night, Reddy said the state wants the event to grow into a respected international platform. The aim is to gather everyone involved in the defence sector and encourage meaningful conversations among them.
The Rakshya Expo will take place from December 7 to 9 at Bharat Future City, Hyderabad, as part of the Invest Telangana Global Summit.
The expo is expected to serve as a central meeting point for global OEMs and MSMEs. The government also hopes to see industry representatives, senior defence and security officials, experts and startups present new ideas and cutting-edge technologies.
The Chief Minister described the first summit held last year as a big success. He said Hyderabad's strategic position within India, along with its high level of safety, makes it a natural choice for such activities. He also noted that the city hosts several notable research institutions and important strategic centres of the Army and Air Force.
Telangana does not have a coastline, but it still provides vital support to the Indian Navy. A VLF naval radar station is under development at the Damagundam Reserve Forest in Vikarabad district.
Reddy said the defence sector needs a steady supply of capable young professionals. He said institutions such as IITs, IIITs, NITs, ISB and BITS are expected to meet these requirements.
Highlighting the state's efforts, he said, "We have already set up the Young India Skills University to create a skilled human resource base. We have also upgraded ITIs into Advanced Training Centres, and successful incubators are functioning here."
The Chief Minister said he hopes to see India become a global leader in defence. He stressed that the country should transition from importing defence technology to exporting it.
Reddy acknowledged that Telangana is already working toward this goal, but said all stakeholders need to step up to achieve even bigger results. He said the state should become the largest industrial hub for India's defence sector.
He expressed hope that the expo would also promote cooperation in allied fields such as space, aerospace, cyber security, artificial intelligence and drone technology. He called on investors to double their planned investments in Telangana and reaffirmed the government's full support.