The second day of Aero India 2025 showcased innovation, partnerships, and defence collaboration. With bilateral deals being discussed, the event underscored India’s growing prominence in the global defence landscape. From the launch of a cargo drone to the announcement of new collaborations, the day’s developments signaled a strong commitment to advancing military partnerships.
India-UK deepen defence ties
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh held a bilateral meeting with UK Minister for the House of Lords, UK Lord Vernon Coaker. The discussion centered around strengthening defence cooperation with a focus on industrial collaboration and maritime domain.
Cyberspace and outer space are challenging traditional notions of sovereignty, and reshaping the boundaries of national security and strategic dominance, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The Minister, at the Aero India Defence Ministers’ Conclave, emphasised how the notion of frontline is evolving in response to emerging technological, geopolitical, and security challenges.
Sanjay Seth strengthened bilateral ties
Sanjay Seth, Raksha Rajya Mantri, held a series of bilateral meetings with Matteo Perego Di Cremnago, Italy’s Under Secretary of State for Defence, UK’s Lord Coaker, and Limpho Tau, Lesotho’s Minister for Defence and Security.
The meetings saw the ministers review various aspects of bilateral defence cooperation, including discussing India’s growing capabilities in manufacturing defence equipment and developing indigenous systems. They also pledged to further strengthen bilateral relations.
BEL partners with Raddef Pvt Ltd for indigenous coastal surveillance
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Raddef Pvt Ltd to jointly develop, market, manufacture, and sell indigenous coastal surveillance radar (CSR).
IAF’s Apache fleet
GE Aerospace has signed a five-year performance-based logistics (PBL) contract with the Indian Air Force (IAF) to provide a comprehensive sustainment solution for the T700-GE-701D engines powering the IAF’s fleet of AH-64E-I Apache helicopters.
Scandron’s cargo drone
Bengaluru-based Scandron has launched CargoMax 20KHC with a 200-kg payload capacity. The drone is fully autonomous Aerial Logistics Platform that offers pilotless operations, an operational range of 15 km, and an operational ceiling of 6000 m AMSL.
Kalyani strategic systems partners with L3 Harris Technologies
Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited, a subsidiary of Bharat Forge Limited, has signed an MoU with L3Harris Technologies for wider collaboration in supporting advanced defence and security equipment in India. The agreement enhances L3Harris capabilities in supporting tactical communications network development in India, extending an existing global install footprint of more than 1 million fielded radios across the US Department of Defence and allied inventories.