Article Posted on : - Mar 14, 2016

PANAJI (PTI): With more than 977 companies and 46 countries registering for the upcoming Defence Expo scheduled in Goa, the Defence Ministry has said the event is steering the path of steady growth.

"Defexpo India 2016, the ninth in the series of biennial Land, Naval and Internal Homeland Security Systems Exhibition, will be held at Naqueri Quitol in Quepem taluka of South Goa from March 28-31, 2016," the Ministry said on its website designed for this internationally famed event.

"Defexpo India is clearly steering the path of steady growth and has been receiving overwhelming and unprecedented international response with each edition," it said.

This is for the first time that the Expo will travel to Goa from Delhi.

According to the Ministry, till date 977 companies and 46 countries have registered for participating in the Expo. For this edition, countries like the USA, Russia, Sweden, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates and Portugal amongst others have confirmed their participation.

"The eighth edition of Defexpo India held in February 2014 recorded an unprecedented growth in foreign as well as domestic companies' participation over its previous editions," the Ministry said.

"An impressive 232 foreign companies from 32 countries participated in the show in 2014 along with 15 country pavilions with a growth of 12.64 per cent in terms of space booking," it said.

This year, on the first day, March 28, hosts of seminars including that on "State of Art Technology in Shipbuilding Initiative and Requirements of Indian Defence Shipyards" would be held. There will also be a session on

"International Cooperation in Futuristic Maritime Research and Development" and "Advanced Technologies in Submarine Construction."

On next day, March 29, the Industrial body Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) will hold day-long Global Investors' Summit on Defence sector.

Similarly, there will also be a seminar on private sector participation in Defence development programme which will be chaired by Smita Nagraj, Director General (Acquisitions), Union Ministry of Defence.

The event will also host a discussion on "Defence collaboration and joint ventures with global partners" to be chaired by K Nagaraj Naidu, Director, Investment and Technology Promotion Division of Union Defence Ministry.

The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) has also planned a seminar on "Defence Offset: Challenges and Opportunities" during the event.

Another industrial body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) will host "India Korea Defence Cooperation Seminar and business meet" and also discussion on modernization programme of Indian Army.