The euphoria of Aero India 2011 is still fresh in ones memory while the governments and companies have got down to business in right earnest. The Indian Government has made its intent known by enhancing the budgetary allocation for defence, thus underlining both its capabilities as well its requirements.

First, the premier defence and aerospace event in the region, of which SP Guide Publications was the official media partner, had a successful run with the global majors in full strength. The focus, no doubt, was the yet to be finalised medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) for which companies from the US and Europe pitched hard. The US had a strong contingent, led by none other than the US Commerce Secretary, Gary Locke, while the European side had both the UK Minister for Defence Equipment, Peter Luff and the German Minister for Defence, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg visiting.

In a comprehensive post Aero India 2011 event review, Air Marshal B.K. Pandey points to the various highlights and how many original equipment manufacturers benefited from their presence here and making “long-term” commitments for India. The next Aero India 2013 is to be held from February 6 to 13.

As for the defence budget, which Air Marshal (Retd) V.K. Bhatia has analysed in this issue, it is up by 11.6 per cent from the previous year. Of the total capital outlay of Rs. 69,199 crore, only Rs. 55,000 crore has been earmarked for new acquisitions, an increment of nearly 10 per cent, which will mostly be accounted for by annual inflationary movements. Of the total defence budget, the Indian Army continues to get a hefty 50 per cent, followed by the IAF at 30 per cent and the Indian Navy at 15 per cent. The remaining five per cent goes to the DRDO.

From defence, we move to civil aviation and it is with pride we celebrate the centenary celebrations of civil aviation in India—from the historic flight between Allahabad and Naini on February 18, 1911 till date, the “flight” has been filled with milestones and continues to hold promise, ever than before. Joseph Noronha has captured this flight path brilliantly.

The global civil aviation outlook is tempered and is likely to hit air pocket, in the background of the prices of aviation turbine fuel going past the $100 a barrel mark. The article by R. Chandrakanth pegs the issues that are acting as dampeners, whereas in another article the author delves on regional jets which may find momentum from aggressive marketing in emerging markets. In these same markets, A.K. Sachdev talks about the pitfalls that exist while buying business jets and has listed out the different types of aircraft available worldwide.

The scenario, both defence and civil, nevertheless is growing to be an exciting one and SP’s Aviation is keeping pace with these developments, in its bid to keep the reader well-informed.