India’s Defense Exhibition to be postponed
The Indian Defense Ministry postponed their Defense Exhibition—DefExpo—until further notice.
This year’s DefExpo was to be the largest event of its kind since 1996. Planned to take place in the west-coast state of Gujarat, logistical issues put the event on hold. The airport at Ahmadabad never hosted such a large event that requires elite logistical capabilities. Additionally, the runways of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at Ahmedabad are undergoing recarpeting construction until May. The inability of the airport to receive the military equipment may be the biggest reason for canceling the event last minute.
Cancelling the event will likely damage the credibility of Indian businesses hosting large-scale events. Furthermore, participants spent millions of dollars to attend the exhibition—which will be lost. The hotels that expected to host participants will suffer the most from last-minute postponement as they paid large sums of money to stock up on perishable goods in anticipation of DefExpo.
Gujarat’s coastal location, cheaper accommodation options, and government’s ease of granting permissions to large events made the state a better option than Delhi or Mumbai. Expect the government of Gujarat to dedicate more efforts to Ahmadabad airport this summer. The logistical capabilities of the state could determine India’s plans for international recognition.
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