Telangana Defence Hub By 2030: Revanth

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said the government would unveil the 'Telangana Aerospace and Defence Policy 2.0' to position the state as a national leader in aerospace and defence manufacturing, with a target of making Telangana India's aerospace and defence capital by 2030.

The policy would align with the Telangana Rising 2047 vision, he told the curtain-raiser for the Raksha Expo 2026 here on Saturday. Over 90 industry leaders, including representatives of global and national defence manufacturers and start-ups, attended the event.

Revanth Reddy invited industry leaders to Raksha Expo, to be held as part of the Invest Telangana Global Summit at Bharat Future City from December 7 to 9. He assured investors of fast-track approvals, land allotments and incentives through the single-window system, besides protection for their investments and a conducive business environment to help them double their profits.

He said the second edition of the Global Summit would be organised on a larger scale, with Raksha Expo serving as an international platform for defence, aerospace, space and security stakeholders to explore investment and technology opportunities.

Representatives of DRDO, HAL, BDL, Midhani, Tata, Airbus, Safran, Skyroot, Lockheed Martin and Bharat Forge were among those attending. The participation of major manufacturers, start-ups and experts would strengthen Telangana's industrial ecosystem, he said.

The Chief Minister said Hyderabad was strategically located, among the safest cities in the country and home to research institutions and strategic establishments of the Indian Army and Air Force. Though Telangana was the only landlocked state in southern India, it was providing important services to the Indian Navy. A very low frequency (VLF) naval radar station was being constructed in the Damagundam reserve forest in Vikarabad district.

Telangana had the talent and institutions required to support aerospace and defence manufacturing, including IITs, IIITs, NITs, ISB and BITS-Pilani. The government was establishing the Young India Skills University and had transformed ITIs into Advanced Training Centres (ATCs) to develop skilled manpower. Successful incubators in the state would also support startups and innovation, he said.

Revanth Reddy said India should move from importing defence technologies to exporting them and emerge as a global leader in the sector. Defence capabilities were essential not only to fight wars but also to preserve peace by deterring adversaries.

He called upon companies to increase their investment plans in Telangana and contribute to defence manufacturing and allied sectors such as space, aerospace, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and drone technology. The government was ready to extend all necessary support to achieve the objective of making Telangana India's largest defence industrial hub, he said.

The Chief Minister said the Telangana Rising Vision 2047 aimed to make the state a $1 trillion economy by 2034 and a $3 trillion economy by 2047. Telangana, which accounted for over 2.5 per cent of India's population and around five per cent of its GDP, aimed to increase its contribution to 10 per cent by 2047.

Defence manufacturing, aerospace and allied industries would play a key role in achieving the targets, he said, adding that Raksha Expo would bring original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), startups and global companies onto one platform.

He urged industry representatives to bring innovative ideas and advanced technologies and interact with senior defence and security officials to strengthen India's capabilities.

"There is no policy paralysis in Telangana. Political and ideological differences will not come in the way of investments and development," Revanth Reddy said, adding that the state had skilled manpower, adequate resources, a clear development policy and the determination to move forward.

Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said Raksha Expo was not merely an exhibition but an invitation to industry leaders to explore Telangana as a destination for investment, advanced manufacturing and technological innovation.

He highlighted Hyderabad’s strong industrial base, citing the presence of Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Airbus and Safran, alongside Indian companies such as Tata Advanced Systems, Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and numerous specialised component manufacturers.

Uttam Kumar Reddy pointed to the Tata-Boeing aerospace partnership at Adibatla, which manufactures Apache helicopter fuselages, and the Tata-Lockheed Martin partnership in aerospace structures as examples of Telangana’s integration into global defence supply chains.