Uncertainty over Aero India’s venue ends, Bengaluru to host show in February 2019

NEW DELHI: The uncertainty over the venue of this year's Aero India show ended on Saturday after Bengaluru retained the rights to organise the aerospace and defence exhibition.
The country's biggest air show will be held in Karnataka’s capital from February 20 to 24 next year, the Ministry of Defence announced.

"This five-day event will combine a major trade exhibition for the aerospace and defence industries with public air shows.Besides global leaders and big investors in aerospace industry, the show will also see participation by think-tanks from across the world," the ministry said in a statement.
The biennial exhibition had kicked off a storm last month after Uttar Pradesh chief minister Adityanath had appealed to defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman to host the country's largest air show in Lucknow.
Adityanath, while inaugurating the Defence Industrial Corridor in Aligarh in August, had assured Sitharaman that his government would provide all the facilities for the show and urged the minister to announce this soon. He said that this show would be important in connection with the Corridor too.
Earlier, the defence minister had refuted reports suggesting that the venue for the show will be shifted out of Karnataka's capital.
"...There has been no decision to that effect yet. Yes there have been many demands from various states, but we will announce the date and venue when a decision is taken..." she had said.
That she did not clear the air completely added fuel to more speculation and reports, with one report, quoting senior MoD officials even gave out dates for the show in Lucknow.
Adityanath's request had irked several in Karnataka, including the state unit of BJP.
“It is true the Uttar Pradesh government is keen on shifting the show to Lucknow, but we and our MPs from the state will not allow this to happen. We will retain the show at any cost in Bengaluru,” BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa had said.
Seeking an answer from the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre over venue change, Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy had asserted that Bengaluru is the proper place for the show as the state has all infrastructure in place.
"Our BJP friends in Karnataka must answer. We also requested the defence minister and told her that Bengaluru is the proper place for the Aero show event and we have all infrastructure in place as well. I don't know why the Centre took such a decision," Kumaraswamy said.
Ever since its inception in 1996, the show has always been held in Bengaluru. The last Aero India show was organised at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in February 2017.
(With inputs from agencies)