Bengaluru, Feb 13 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the prestigious five-day Aero India 2023 on Monday at the Air Force Station in Yelahanka, Bengaluru.

Karnataka is hosting the show for the 14th time.

PM Modi arrived in the state capital on Sunday night.

"A warm welcome to PM Modi Ji to Karnataka. The PM will inaugurate Aero India 2023 in Bengaluru which will mesmerize the audience with sorties, aerobatic performances and mid -air formations. Our own Light Combat Aircraft Tejas will also be the centre of attraction," Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai stated.

This is the biggest airshow and a maximum number of foreign defence ministers, Air Force CEOs will be attending. An exhibition has been organised on a 35,000 square feet area with 600 to 809 shows. As many as 98 foreign dignitaries are participating. The number of agreements are expected to be more this time.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had said the people will remember the Aero India Show-2023 and will carry the sweet memories from here. The event will be a grand success and will be helpful in the extension of the aerospace and defence industry.

The CM said hosting the Aero India show is a matter of pride and it has become a practice for Karnataka and Bengaluru to host it. Every year, this event has been held successfully both in the defence and aerospace industries and displays its strength.

"Karnataka has been playing an important role regarding Aerospace as the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited was established in Karnataka in 1940 and NAL, BHEL, and DRDO have hiked the R&D capacity.

"The ISRO was established in Bengaluru in 1960 and in each decade, aerospace has developed along with place and capacity. In 1960, the Aryabhata satellite was put into orbit from Bengaluru and 67 per cent of aerospace equipment is manufactured in the state," he said.