India showcases aerospace, defence tech at Paris Air Show 2025

Led by HAL & DRDO, 18 Indian firms display indigenous innovations

India highlighted advanced aerospace and defence technologies at Paris Air Show 2025, showcasing indigenous products and strengthening international partnerships amid rising defence exports and innovation.

India’s participation in the 2025 Paris Air Show represented a major advancement in presenting the country’s defence and aerospace capabilities to the world. One of the the oldest and most prominent aerospace show in the world, the show, which took place at Le Bourget from June 16 to 22, drew over 300,000 visitors and over 2,500 exhibitors from 48 countries. India’s involvement this year was noteworthy for its scope, technological sophistication and strategic purpose.

A total of 18 Indian companies participated in the event, representing a broad spectrum of the country’s aerospace and defence sector. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the research and development (R&D) arm of India’s Ministry of Defence, was at the forefront, presenting a range of advanced indigenous technologies that underscored India’s growing self-reliance and innovation in defence manufacturing.

At the Paris Air Show, Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN) announced the acquisition of a majority stake in the French aerospace manufacturer Lauak Group, marking a significant step in Wipro’s global aerospace expansion. The new entity, to be named Wipro Lauak, will combine Lauak’s five-decade legacy as a Tier-1 supplier to major aerospace companies with Wipro’s engineering and manufacturing capabilities, reinforcing both companies’ positions in the European aerospace sector and strengthening their ability to deliver high-quality, integrated aerospace solutions worldwide.

Among the highlights were next-generation unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), advanced avionics and indigenously developed defence systems such as the Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile ‘Astra’, which is designed to engage and destroy highly manoeuvring supersonic aircraft under all-weather, day-and-night conditions.

DRDO also showcased models of HELINA anti-tank guided missile, the Tejas Mk-2 Light Combat Aircraft, the Swathi Weapon Locating Radar and the NETRA Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&CS), all of which are now operational or being inducted into the Indian Armed Forces (IAF).

Reliance Aerostructure Ltd (RAL), a subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure, announced a strategic partnership with French aerospace major Dassault Aviation to set up an assembly line for Falcon 2000 business jets in Nagpur, Maharashtra. This collaboration, unveiled at the Paris Air Show, marks the first time Dassault will manufacture Falcon 2000 jets outside France, highlighting India’s growing role in global aerospace manufacturing and the country’s ambition to become a key player in international supply chains.

Beyond DRDO, several private and public sector firms contributed to India’s robust presence. Lohia Aerospace Systems (LAS), a defence and aerospace manufacturing company, was the only Indian composites company exhibiting at the show, highlighting the country’s advanced manufacturing prowess in lightweight structural assemblies and UAV sub-systems for both civil and defence applications. LAS says its exhibits drew significant interest from global aerospace stakeholders and the company engaged in advanced discussions with major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for composite interior structures for next-generation aircraft, as well as for indigenising production of complex structural parts for helicopters.

Additionally, it also explored new avenues for collaboration with an American Tier I supplier, aiming to jointly bid for civil and defence programs in the United States (US).

Another breakthrough at the event was the unveiling of a fully indigenous 40 kgf micro turbojet engine by Raghu Vamsi Aerospace Group, developed for UAVs and cruise missiles, a milestone in India’s propulsion capabilities. The company also showcased a model of Astra 100, a jet-powered fixed-wing kamikaze UAV with a range of 200 km and speeds up to 450 kmph, which completed successful test trials earlier in the year.

Bharat Forge, in collaboration with French aerospace company Turgis Gaillard, announced a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to offer the AAROK, a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle, as a strategic option for India’s defence requirements.

The Indian delegation, led by Samir V Kamat, Chairman, DRDO, emphasised that every product displayed, from radars and missiles to fighter jets, signalled India’s ambition to become a self-reliant defence manufacturing hub capable of supporting not only its own armed forces but also those of friendly nations.