The 13th edition of Aero India will be held from February 3 to 7, 2021. The venue remains unchanged again — Air Force Station Yelahanka, according to the event site of the Ministry of Defence.
The dates of the two-yearly international military and civil air show are normally announced in October. There was no immediate information why the announcement was made more than five months ahead.
Also virtually, the entire world is in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has shut down or indefinitely deferred many international events, including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
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The Yelahanka air base, about 30 km from the city centre, has been hosting the air show in February every odd-numbered year since it was started in Bengaluru in 1996.
However, Bengaluru came close to losing the last two events — of 2019 and 2017 — to perhaps Lucknow though the Ministry never said so openly. The then Defence Minister had also said Uttar Pradesh was keen on holding the air show: UP (as also Tamil Nadu) has also started developing a defence industrial corridor.
Aero India is a premier international event that draws international and Indian military and civil aircraft makers, their support industries, besides military brass and government dignitaries, and over two lakh public and business visitors.
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Its long-time organiser, the Defence Exhibition Organisation returns to organise the 2021 event. Last year’s show was organised by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.