India postpones DefExpo-2022 as a fallout of Russian invasion of Ukraine

Vishal Thapar Mar 04, 2022

India has postponed indefinitely its marquee Defence exhibition, DefExpo-2022, reportedly due to the situation resulting globally from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

DefExpo2022 was scheduled to be held at Gandhinagar from March 10 to 14 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was to preside over its inaugural function.

“Due to logistics problems being experienced by participants, the DefExpo-2022 proposed to be held at Gandhinagar, Gujarat from March 10th till March 14th is postponed. The new dates will be communicated in due course,” Ministry of Defence spokesperson A Bharat Bhushan Babu announced on March 4.

The bi-ennial event provides an opportunity for the global Defence Industry to congregate in India, which is one of the world’s largest markets for military equipment. It is a land, naval and homeland security systems exhibition.

Prime Minister Modi was expected to signal India’s renewed emphasis on ending its import dependency, and engaging the global Defence Industry to participate in building a Military Industrial Complex locally. India was being positioned at this premier exhibition as the world’s Emerging Defence Manufacturing Hub.

While the spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence did not specify a reason for the postponement, sources confirmed that the preoccupation of prominent participants with the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine forced the decision. The premier event attracts the participation of Ministerial delegations and military leadership from across the world besides the who’s who of the global arms industry.

Last week, the Indian Air Force pulled out of Exercise Cobra Warrior 22, a multi-nation air combat exercise which was to be held at Waddington in the UK from March 6 to 27. This decision was also forced by the war in Ukraine.