The DefExpo 2018 event held in Chennai from April 11 to 14 demonstrated the ambition of India’s burgeoning defense industry, boosted by the growing involvement of the private sector. This was the 10th such biennial show organized by the Indian defense ministry, which claimed that there were 677 exhibiting companies. Notably, though, the proportion of these that were foreign again was reduced from previous years.
The focus of the show has been steadily shifting from direct foreign purchase and license production of defense equipment to co-development and joint production in accordance with the government’s “Make in India” policy. Reflecting this, all the full-scale exhibits were of local origin or assembly. Defense minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized the government’s intention to further increase domestic production, and also to encourage defense exports.
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