Telangana CM meets Defence Minister, seeks cooperation for 'Invest Telangana' summit

Hyderabad, Sep 2 (AHN) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Wednesday met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi and sought cooperation for the 'Invest Telangana Global Summit-2026' being organised by the state government at the 'Bharat Future City' from December 7 to 9.

The Chief Minister briefed the Defence Minister on the main objective of the global summit and requested him to inaugurate the Defence Expo-2026, which is to be conducted as part of the summit.

He highlighted that the Defence Expo would feature a special session on the aerospace, defence, and space sectors, alongside a prestigious air show, industrial exhibition and live demonstrations of land-based defence systems.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, Revanth Reddy sought the full cooperation of the Defence Ministry to successfully organise the Defence Expo-2026 in accordance with international standards.

The Chief Minister appealed to Rajnath Singh to provide assistance mainly in granting the necessary airspace clearances for the airshow and ensuring the participation of Indian Air Force aircraft, as well as the 'Surya Kiran' , 'Sarang' aerobatic teams and also the support for the static aircraft display.

The Union Minister has been requested that state-of-the-art defence systems belonging to the army, navy, and air force be showcased and that senior officials and representatives from the three armed services participate in the event.

CM Revanth Reddy emphasised the presence and guidance of the Defence Minister at the expo, where the defence industries, startups and young scientists from across the country would also join and share their experiences and ideas.

He asserted that the participation of the Defence Minister would serve as a great source of inspiration for all guests from the defence sector. The CM informed Rajnath Singh that the state government is looking forward to hosting the Defence Expo-2026 in Hyderabad.

The arrangements made for the extensive and active participation of defence public sector undertakings (PSUs) -- HAL, BEL, BDL, MDL and DRDO laboratories to showcase indigenous defence technology at the global summit were discussed in the meeting. The CM also sought the Defence Ministry's cooperation in organising meetings with foreign defence representatives, bilateral defence delegations, and prominent figures from international defence organisations.

They also discussed several issues, including investment prospects in the defence sector in Telangana.

Referring to land acquisition for Adilabad Airport, CM Revanth Reddy informed Rajnath Singh that the state government has already acquired 750 acres of land. Another 750 acres of land would be acquired on the Defence Ministry's request.

The Chief Minister announced that the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) has agreed to allocate 416.18 acres of land in Devarakadra Mandal of Mahabubnagar district, for a prestigious project to be undertaken by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL).

The land would be leased for a period of 33 years at a nominal annual rent of just Rs 1 for the entire land rather than on a per-acre basis. The provision of extending the lease agreement twice, if necessary, was also highlighted.

Telangana SHAKTI Minister G. Vivek Venkataswamy, MPs M. Anil Kumar Yadav, Dr Mallu Ravi, Suresh Shetkar, and Porika Balram Naik, along with State Government Advisor (Protocol) Harkara Venugopal, were also present at the meeting.