(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) New Delhi: Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, is likely to host the 13th biennial edition of DefExpo next year, according to sources in the defence establishment.

The five-day DefExpo, an international exhibition showcasing land, naval, and internal homeland security systems, is expected take place in Ranchi - which is also the Lok Sabha constituency of Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth.

Sources revealed that multiple high-level discussions have been held regarding the selection of Ranchi as the venue for DefExpo.

The 12th edition of DefExpo was held in 2022 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat, while the 11th edition took place in 2020 in Lucknow, the home constituency of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The event was hosted in Tamil Nadu in 2018 and in Goa in 2016.

Prior to 2016, the DefExpo – which requires huge space and adequate infrastructure – used to be held at New Delhi's Pragati Maidan.

When Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team Dazzled Ranchi

In a first, the Indian Air Force's Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team enthralled thousands of spectators at the Army Ground in Khojatoli, Namkom, on April 19.

Against the backdrop of clear skies and surging anticipation, nine Hawk Mk-132 jets sliced through the air in perfect synchrony, painting the sky with formations and the tricolour – a spectacle never before witnessed by Ranchi's skyline.

The team had also performed in Patna on the occasion of“Shaurya Diwas” – the birth anniversary of 1857 freedom fighter – Babu Veer Kunwar Singh, on April 22 and 23.

The skies over Ranchi came alive with breathtaking aerobatic displays, drawing enthusiastic crowds, especially school children. RRM interacted with attendees during the show, while Justice Ananda Sen of Jharkhand High Court and the District Magistrate of Ranchi felicitated and... twitter/FCS0XZfegS

- Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) April 20, 2025

What an amazing respose on Day 1 of Ranchi Airshow. See you tomorrow for the grand finale on 20 April at Namkum Army Ground, 9:30 am onwards!#suryakiranaerobaticteam #suryakiran_iaf #ranchi #aerobatics #formation #jharkhand #jharkhandi #indianarmedforces #india #asia #airshow twitter/kKwsEAncFl

- Suryakiran Aerobatic Team (@Suryakiran_IAF) April 19, 2025

For the second consecutive day, the Indian Air Force's Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) dazzled spectators at Ranchi's Namkum Army Ground. Flight Lieutenant Kanwal Sandhu, seen anchoring the show, promised an electrifying performance - and the team soared beyond expectations,... twitter/Sxq1afgWYy

- DD News (@DDNewslive) April 20, 2025

The biggest-ever defence exhibition – DefExpo – 2022 concluded with 451 MoUs, ToT agreements & product launches in Gandhinagar today. It has paved way for investments worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore in defence sector.0 twitter/VztsPmJKC8

- Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) October 20, 2022

DefExpo 2022: A lookback

It is worth noting that DefExpo is usually held in February or March, but the 2022 edition in Gandhinagar was postponed to October due to logistical challenges faced by global defence manufacturers.

DefExpo 2022 was the first edition exclusively dedicated to Indian companies.

Participants classified as Indian included Indian companies, Indian subsidiaries of foreign OEMs, divisions of companies registered in India, and exhibitors with joint ventures involving Indian firms.

The event also marked the one-year anniversary of the formation of seven new defence companies, which were carved out of the former Ordnance Factory Board. All seven participated in DefExpo for the first time.

In total, 75 countries took part in DefExpo 2022.

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