Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy called on defence industry leaders to help make India a global leader in defence technology and manufacturing. He also announced that Telangana will soon unveil Aerospace and Defence Policy 2.0 under its Telangana Rising 2047 vision.
Revanth Reddy launched the Raksha Expo 2026 Curtain Raiser and unveiled its logo at Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad. The government organised the programme as part of the Invest Telangana Global Summit 2026.
Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka attended the event along with Ministers Captain N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and D. Sridhar Babu. Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju, Home Department Principal Secretary Shikha Goel and other senior officials also participated.
The Chief Minister said he wants India to emerge as a global leader in defence. Moreover, he said the country should move beyond importing war technologies and become an exporter of defence technology.
Revanth Reddy said Telangana has a clear role in achieving that goal. Although the state has made significant progress, he said it must achieve much more.
He wants Telangana to become India’s largest industrial hub for the defence sector. Therefore, he sought support from industry leaders to expand manufacturing and allied activities in the state.
The Chief Minister urged companies to double their planned investments in Telangana. At the same time, he asked them to tell the government what support they need to achieve their targets.
He assured investors that his government would provide the required assistance. In addition, he identified space, aerospace, cyber security, artificial intelligence and drone technology as major areas for growth.
Revanth Reddy said Telangana released its Telangana Rising 2047 vision document last year. The state aims to become a $1 trillion economy by 2034 and a $3 trillion economy by 2047.
Telangana accounts for more than 2.5% of India’s population and contributes 5% of national GDP, he said. However, the Chief Minister wants the state’s share of national GDP to reach 10% by 2047.
Defence manufacturing, aerospace and related industries will play a crucial role in reaching those targets, he said. Consequently, the government expects Raksha Expo to become an important platform for technology, investment and industrial partnerships.
Revanth Reddy urged companies and professionals to bring innovative ideas and emerging technologies to Telangana. In return, he said the government would provide support and create a favourable environment for growth.
He also said future warfare would differ sharply from conventional conflict. Drones, robots and artificial intelligence-driven systems will transform battlefields, making technology increasingly critical.
Major defence, aerospace and technology organisations joined the curtain raiser. Representatives came from DRDO, HAL, BDL, Midhani, Tata companies, Airbus, Safran, Skyroot, Lockheed Martin and Bharat Forge.
Raksha Expo to become an international defence platform
Revanth Reddy said he wants Raksha Expo to become a dynamic international platform for defence and allied sectors. Through the event, stakeholders can meet, discuss opportunities, strengthen cooperation and develop long-term partnerships.
The Chief Minister also highlighted Hyderabad’s strategic role in India’s defence ecosystem. He described it as a highly secure city that hosts several important research institutions.
Furthermore, Hyderabad houses key strategic centres linked to the Indian Army and Indian Air Force. These institutions, he said, strengthen the city’s importance to the national defence network.
Revanth Reddy noted that Telangana is the only landlocked state in southern India. Nevertheless, the state provides important services to the Indian Navy.
He cited the Very Low Frequency naval radar centre under construction in the Damagundam Reserve Forest of Vikarabad district. According to him, the project demonstrates Telangana’s strategic importance to the Navy.
The Chief Minister said the first Global Summit held last year succeeded in bringing stakeholders together. Therefore, he invited delegates to attend the second Invest Telangana Global Summit on December 7, 8 and 9.
The government will hold the summit on a larger scale at Bharat Future City in Hyderabad. Revanth Reddy personally invited representatives attending the curtain raiser to participate.
Senior serving and former defence officials also joined the programme. Telangana DGP C.V. Anand attended along with representatives of DRDO, Bharat Dynamics, Midhani and HAL.
U.S. Consul General Laura Williams was also present. In addition, Bharat Forge CMD Baba N. Kalyani and Skyroot Aerospace CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana participated.
Former DRDO Chairman Dr G. Satheesh Reddy and Lockheed Martin head Michael Fernandez attended the event. Larsen & Toubro Engineering Systems SPV representative Arun Ramchandani and Dhruva Space co-founder Sanjay Nekkanti also joined.
Safran CEO Jitendra Gawankar and Airbus Defence Space President Venkat Katkuri were among the other industry representatives. Several prominent figures from India’s defence sector also participated.
Revanth Reddy said cooperation between government, industry and technology leaders would strengthen both Telangana and India’s defence capabilities. Ultimately, he urged stakeholders to use Raksha Expo to expand innovation, investment and collaboration.