By Aritra Banerjee
The Aero India International Seminar 2023, hosted by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in partnership with the Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI), was launched in Bengaluru on 12 February 2023. The event was graced by several prominent figures in India’s aerospace and defence industries, including Dr VK Saraswat, Member of NITI Aayog and Chief Guest of the seminar, and S Somanath, Secretary of the Department of Space and Guest of Honour.
The seminar, ‘Aerospace and Defence Technologies-Way Forward,’ brought together professionals from around the world to exchange ideas and share information in the aerospace and defence field. The event covered various topics, including novel research in composites, propulsion technology, machine learning in complex airborne systems, artificial intelligence (AI) verification, high-end aerospace instrumentation, and emerging trends in airborne surveillance technologies.
In his address, Dr Saraswat emphasised the importance of adopting disruptive technologies, such as artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing, in developing hypersonic aircraft, directed energy weapons (DEWs), robotics, and unmanned aerial systems (UAS). He also highlighted the role of the private sector as a critical partner in creating a robust defence industrial ecosystem.
Somanath presented ISRO’s latest programs, Chandrayan-3 and Gaganyan, and discussed the challenges faced in space programs and methods to overcome them. Meanwhile, Dr Samir V Kamat, Secretary DD R&D and Chairman DRDO, emphasised the importance of the aerospace and defence sector in helping India become a developed nation by 2047.
During the seminar, 24 Indian women professionals in aviation and aerospace from DRDO, the Indian Air Force, the Indian Navy, the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, ISRO, and the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) were recognised for their contributions. A seminar souvenir was also released, and the Aeronautical Society of India magazine was unveiled by Dr G Satheesh Reddy, Special Advisor to the Defence Minister and President AeSI.
The seminar featured three technical sessions, with speakers from companies including Rolls Royce, Boeing, Zeiglar Aerospace, Altair India, NewSpace, Cranfield UK, Safran, Honeywell, DRDO, ADA, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and Indian Institute of Science (IISc), among others. The day ended with a panel discussion on research and development perspectives in India’s aerospace and defence sectors over the next 25 years.
More than 600 delegates from academia, industry, R&D organisations, startups, and students participated in the one-day event.
