Bengaluru stares at the sky as Aero India 2021 kicks off

Aero India 2021, the country's premier aerospace and defence exhibition, took off here on Wednesday amidst the Covid-19 pandemic with a buzz around a push for "Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan" and "Make in India".

With a combination of both physical and virtual exhibition, the 13th edition of the biennial international event at Air Force Station in Yelahanka is the world's first hybrid aerospace show, officials said.

A negative Covid-19 RT-PCR test report (dated January 31, 9 am or later) is a must to attend the three-day event, where each day only 3,000 visitors will be allowed at the flight display venue in view of the pandemic. As many as 601 exhibitors -- 523 Indian and 78 foreign -- and 14 countries have confirmed participation, they said.

On day one of the show, Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team of the Indian Air Force and Sarang helicopter displayed team conduct aerobatic display.

Even American B-1B Lancer aircraft took part in the show on the first day. The aircraft flew from an American airbase in South Dakota, United States for over 26 hours to reach the city.

Apart from that, Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters in Trishul formation were spotted in the sky during the show.

Aircraft also took part in the flypast in the Atmanirbhar formation.