Hyderabad will host an air show on December 9 as part of the Grand Raksha Expo being organised alongside the Invest Telangana Global Summit 2026, with Telangana Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju reviewing preparations and directing departments to coordinate infrastructure, security and industry participation.
Jaju reviewed the arrangements with senior officials on Thursday and discussed the participation of defence and aerospace companies, publicity, security measures and other requirements linked to the expo. The event is being positioned as a platform to showcase Telangana’s capabilities in defence and aerospace and attract investment to the state.
According to the officials cited in the review, nearly 30 per cent of India’s defence and aerospace industries are based in Hyderabad. The expo is expected to bring together national and international defence, aerospace and arms manufacturing companies, along with public-sector and private-sector organisations.
The Chief Secretary directed officials to invite industry bodies including FICCI, Assocham, the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers and micro, small and medium enterprises. Public-sector companies such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited and Bharat Dynamics Limited are expected to showcase their products at the event.
The expo’s programme will include business interactions, buyer-seller meetings, marketing opportunities, memorandums of understanding, startup collaborations and seminars. The state government is presenting these activities as part of its wider effort to expand Telangana’s defence and aerospace sectors.
Preparatory outreach will include roadshows in Hyderabad on October 24 and in New Delhi on October 29. These events are intended to promote the expo and encourage participation from companies and industry institutions.
The preparations also extend beyond the event venue. Jaju noted that an airfield strip is being developed in Adilabad, although the review did not specify whether the facility would be directly used for the December 9 air show. The development indicates that aviation-related infrastructure is also part of the state’s broader sectoral push.
Officials were further instructed to invite the directors general of police from all states, in view of the ongoing modernisation of police and paramilitary forces across the country. The government expects the expo to create opportunities for engagement between defence manufacturers, security agencies, startups and potential buyers.
The review places Hyderabad’s existing defence and aerospace base at the centre of the event’s investment pitch. Further details on the venue, public access, traffic arrangements and the air show’s operational schedule were not provided in the announcement. The next scheduled preparatory milestones are the Hyderabad roadshow on October 24 and the Delhi roadshow on October 29.
