Feb 07. IMDEX Asia 2007 (International Maritime Defence Exhibition) will be held in Singapore from 15 – 18 May 2007. The sixth in the Series, IMDEX Asia 2007, supported by the Republic of Singapore Navy, will again be held at the Singapore Expo. It will focus on the latest developments in maritime defence, with exhibitors from some 15 countries showcasing cutting edge technologies, products and services. This prestigious biennial event enjoys the status of a “must-attend” show in the international maritime defence calendar and attracts a large number of high-level VIP delegations from navies in the region and beyond, plus senior personnel from industry. These key decision makers will discuss and interact with the world’s leading maritime defence companies over the 4-days of the show. High on their agenda will be to evaluate the latest maritime defence equipment, state-of-the-art technologies and developments that are available to meet the current and future needs of navies around the world. This year’s show is being held against the backdrop of a buoyant market in the Asia-Pacific region for “new-build” warships, a market that is currently outstripping both Europe and the United States in monetary terms. It is forecast that between 2006 and 2010 investment in “new-build” warships in the region will increase to US$14bn per annum, compared with the current forecast for Europe and USA of US$10bn and US$11.5bn respectively. This expansion is driven largely by Japan, Republic of Korea, China and India, which have large new-build warship programmes over the next few years. In addition, most countries in the region have plans to expand their navies, both surface and underwater. The organisers are pleased to announce that IMDEX Asia 2005 was awarded Approved International Fair (AIF) status by the Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau (SECB) for its outstanding performance, and all the indications are that IMDEX Asia 2007 is expected to surpass the 2005 statistics.
07 Feb 07. Massive turnout at India air show. More than 500 companies have turned out for the air show. Some 500 aircraft companies from around the world have gathered at an air show in India hoping to sell planes to the country’s booming aviation sector. The five-day event at the Yelahanka air base in Bangalore will showcase a range of new civilian and military aircraft. India plans to buy 126 fighter jets for its air force to replace ageing planes in its fleet. Industry estimates suggest India would need over 1,000 planes over the next two decades as air travel booms. Air traffic in India could double by 2010 to 50 million passenger journeys a year on the back of a growing economy, according to one estimate. Some 45 foreign delegations and 35 air force chiefs from various countries are attending the five-day air show in its sixth year now. (Source: BBC)