Guest Column: Global players will stay away if schedule is advanced

There has been considerable debate in the media on the  proposal of the Union government  to shift the prestigious Aero India show due to be held in February 2019,  from the Air Force Station in Yelahanka, Bengaluru  to  the Air Force Station in  Bakhshi Ka Talab, Lucknow. While there has been considerable excitement in UP on this move by the Union government,  for obvious reasons, the state of Karnataka   is up in arms.  Also, the schedule for the airshow is likely to be advanced to October-November this year as against  February  2019. This may prove to be a deterrent for the major participants from abroad. The final word by the Union government on the issue is, however, expected on Independence Day.

Bengaluru was selected as the venue for  hosting the  international   Airshow  as this mega city is a major hub of the Indian aerospace industry and provides the necessary support for the event. This will be totally missing in Lucknow. One of the reasons put forward  to justify the decision to relocate the event to Lucknow is the proposed Defence Industry Corridor in UP. But the development of this corridor is still a long way off. Over the years,  Air Force Station, Yelakanka  has matured and is now well geared in all respects  to host the event, an attribute  that the Air Force Station, Bakhshi Ka Talab will certainly not be able to match. 

It is of vital importance that a comprehensive study be carried out by a team of experts to assess objectively whether the airfield at Bakhshi Ka Talab   has the necessary infrastructure to host the event. It is equally important to examine the road connectivity between Lucknow and Bakhshi Ka Talab and the hotel facilities available in  the city to cater to a large influx of participants from abroad. In the final analysis, the decision to relocate the airshow must be based on professional considerations and not be driven merely by political compulsions.