Aero India 2025: Fifth-generation fighter jets Su-57, F-35 to share same airstrip for the first time
Bengaluru: The 15th edition of the biennial Aero India was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Air Force Station in Yelahanka on Monday. The event, covering over 42,000 sq m, will see the participation of over 900 exhibitors, including 150 foreign companies, making it the biggest edition to date.
For the first time, Russia’s Su-57 Felon and the US F-35 Lightning II, both advanced fifth-generation fighter jets, will share the same airstrip at the event.
Su-57 Felon
Developed by Sukhoi, the Su-57 is Russia’s premier stealth multirole fighter, designed for air superiority and strike missions. It features advanced avionics, supercruise capability, and stealth technology. The aircraft, which entered service with the Russian Aerospace Forces in December 2020, is expected to replace the MiG-29 and Su-27.
F-35 Lightning II
Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the F-35 Lightning II is a widely deployed fifth-generation fighter with advanced stealth, situational awareness, and networked combat capabilities. It is a multirole combat aircraft designed for air superiority, strike missions, electronic warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
Other Aircraft Participating in Aero India 2025
From the United States:
- B-1B Lancer
- KC-135 Stratotanker
Indigenous Aircraft:
- LCA MK 1A
- Hansa-NG (pilot trainer)
- Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT)
- HTT-40 (pilot trainer)
- Light Utility Helicopter (LUH)
- Su-30 MKI
Defence Minister highlights India's growth in aerospace, defence
At the curtain-raiser event in Bengaluru on Sunday, Rajnath Singh described the participation of over 90 countries as a sign of growing global confidence in India’s defence capabilities. He stated that India's defence production, which crossed ₹1.27 lakh crore, is expected to surpass ₹1.60 lakh crore by 2025-26. Defence exports, which reached ₹21,000 crore, are projected to exceed ₹30,000 crore.
Aero India is a biennial event organised by the Defence Exhibition Organisation under the Ministry of Defence.
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Illegally stored gas cylinders seized
Thane (PTI): Authorities have seized illegally stored 1,839 gas cylinders and seven vehicles worth over Rs 67 lakh in the Dombivli MIDC area of Thane district, officials said on Saturday.
A special vigilance team of the Mumbai Rationing Department detected an illegal storage of domestic and commercial LPG cylinders in Phase-2 of Dombivli (East).
Cylinders belonging to multiple gas agencies were found stockpiled in closed vehicles, unauthorised warehouses, and open sheds without mandatory permissions from the Explosives Department, Fire Department, or oil companies, according to an official release.
