Article Posted on : - Oct 25, 2010

PARIS (BNS): Euronaval 2010, a biennial event of 'International Defence and Maritime Exhibition and Conference', kicked off Monday at the Paris Le Bourget exhibition center in Paris.

Euronaval 2010 is the world’s leading trade show for naval defence and maritime safety and will be held from 25th to 29th October.

Organised under the joint patronage of the French Ministry of Defence and Secretariat General to the Sea, Euronaval is the unique networking opportunity for industry involved in naval defence, maritime safety and security, shipbuilding, and manufacture of systems and equipments. The specialists, policy makers and buyers from all over the world meet to identify the new trends and discover the materials of future.

The 22nd edition of Euronaval will focus on maritime environment, including shipbuilding and dismantling, throughlife support, energy systems and ecological considerations. This broader coverage reflects the global challenges facing the maritime world and the growing importance of sustainable development in maritime trade and shipping.

This year, Euronaval is expected to see participation of over 80 delegations from 60 foreign countries. Experts will be able to examine products, manufactured by more than 400 companies from 35 countries.

From India, big giants like BrahMos Aerospace and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) will be participating in this exhibition. BrahMos Aerospace will be showcasing the world's only supersonic cruise missile- BRAHMOS, which was recently test-fired successfully with advanced supersonic dive manoeuvrability.

Euronaval is also a leading event for naval drone (UXV) manufacturers and satellite applications, including communications, navigation, weather, defence and security.

The first trade show started in 1968 as an exhibition of equipment for naval forces by French exhibitors. Later in 1994, the scope of the exhibition further expanded to include participation of European exhibitors and was called as ‘Euronaval’. From 1996 onwards, Euronaval has become an international event.

Euronaval 2008 was an immense success. It had 379 exhibitors from 36 countries and more than 34000 trade visitors including 80 official delegations from 62 countries.