Indian Military

India has denied accreditation to members of the Chinese media for reporting the air show, Aero India 2011, beginning in Bangalore next week. This came out at the press conference held by the Secretary for Defense Production, Raj Kumar Singh to brief the media on the show. A Chinese journalist present at the conference complained that he and his colleagues had been unable to register for accreditation as the online registration form did not provide China as an option.

Singh was seen consulting his colleagues seated with him on the issue and as it turned out, they informed the media present that this was done on the direction of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, which has approved the list of countries from whom participation has been invited.

Besides China, Pakistan and Iran are also missing from the list of approved countries, both in terms of media accreditation as well as participation from vendors. “China was sent an invite for the last edition, but it did not participate.

As incredible at it sounds, Aero India 2011, beginning in Bangalore next Wednesday, will feature a flying car as one of the exhibits at the show. The car, a Maruti 800 hatchback, has been converted into a flying machine by a company known as Bangalorean.

This was disclosed at the press briefing held by Secretary for Defense Production, Raj Kumar Singh on the air show. It was also clarified that since the flying car did not, yet, have certification from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), it would be on static display only, and would not give a flight demonstration.

“This flying car is a product from a Bangalore-based innovator. He says he has the technology with which he can use a Maruti 800 car as an aircraft. To encourage him, we have provided him space at the static exhibition for aerospace products,” Singh said. Singh and his officials also clarified that this exhibit had nothing to do with the Indian automobile manufacturer Maruti Suzuki, which is majority-owned by Suzuki.

India’s air show in Bangalore next week will be the largest ever with 29 countries bringing their aerospace products, including fighter jets and transport aircraft, for showcasing at the five-day event.

The biennial Aero India 2011 will for the first time witness the civil aviation sector overtaking military aviation. The air show will see 54 percent of the aircraft, helicopters and aerospace systems from the civilian sector compared to 46 percent from the military sector.

“This year’s air show will surpass all previous figures in terms of participating countries, companies, space and business. All inputs show a healthy growth than the previous edition of Aero India. Civil aviation sector at 54 percent will overtake military aviation content at 46 percent in this year’s show,” Secretary of Defense Production Raj Kumar Singh told reporters here on Tuesday.

To be held at the Yelahanka Air Force Station, this year’s show has been oversubscribed in terms of exhibition space and the Defense Exhibition Organization has had to refuse further bookings, he said.