Government yet to take decision on shifting Aero India Show to Goa

PANAJI: The Defence Ministry is yet to take a decision on shifting the venue of Aero India Show, scheduled to be held next year, from Bengaluru to Goa, a senior official said.

"We are currently preparing for DefExpo, scheduled in March in Goa. We are yet to decide on whether to make Goa as a permanent venue. We are putting in temporary infrastructure for the Defence Expo," Union Defence Secretary (Production) Ashok Kumar told reporters yesterday.

He was in the city to chair a meeting to review preparations for DefExpo, scheduled from March 28-31 at Quittol village in South Goa.

"Let the scheduled event in March take place. Let us review it. We have not taken any decision. Let the event take place," he said.

Kumar said the Ministry was yet to take decision on hosting Aero Show in Goa. "It is a separate issue, the decision will be taken later," he said.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had last week confirmed that the Defence Expo (DefExpo) this year will be held in Goa in March.

The Defence Ministry holds Defence Expo on every alternate year, on even years, while the Aero India Show is held on odd years.

Certain quarters from political and social sphere in Goa are opposing the hosting of DefExpo, alleging that it is a "land grab plan" by the Defence Ministry.

Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had earlier told the Legislative Assembly that DefExpo will have temporary structures and the decision whether to have the event on a permanent basis would be taken later.