The 2025 Aero India, one of the Indo-Pacific’s largest aerospace exhibitions, commenced in early February. Set against a backdrop of heightened security concerns in the Indo-Pacific region, the event highlighted the push for enhanced defense manufacturing and exports.
“Aero India 2025 is an ideal forum to showcase U.S. defense aircraft and equipment and ultimately contribute toward our compatibility and interoperability with other nations,” Gen. Kevin Schneider, commander of U.S. Pacific Air Forces, said in a news release. “The growth in Indian and U.S. bilateral defense trade has corresponded with growing interoperability through information sharing, liaison officers, training exercises and defense enabling agreements. The importance of our partnership continues to grow, particularly as we face an increasingly complex and dynamic security environment in the Indo-Pacific.”
India has boosted defense spending by 9.5%, to $78.8 billion, according to an official announcement from Delhi.
U.S. participation in Aero India 2025, which included a display of aircraft including a B-1B Lancer supersonic bomber, F-35 Lightning II fighter jet and KC-135 Stratotanker, underscores the U.S. commitment to regional security and defense cooperation.
In addition to showcasing advanced aircraft, Aero India 2025 serves as a platform for discussions on defense cooperation and strategic partnerships. The event brought together defense officials, industry leaders and experts from around the world to explore opportunities for collaboration and innovation. The presence of high-level delegations from both India and the United States underscored the importance of these discussions and the potential for deeper defense ties.