Uncertainty looms over DEFEXPO 2010 defense exhibition

The fate of the 2010 edition of DEFEXPO, one of Asia’s premier land and naval defence systems shows looks uncertain as the halls marked for the event in the exhibition ground at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi may not be available during the show days of February 15-18, 2010 as the same were said be earmarked for renovation for the Commonwealth games later in the year. Informed sources told Defenseworld.net that there is a possibility that the show could be shifted out to an exhibition centre in Greater Noida, about 25Kms outside Delhi. However, the organizers, Defense Exhibition Organization (DEO) were trying their best to hold the show in the original venue itself to avoid inconvenience to the large number of exhibitors already committed to participate, the sources added. In another development, booking of space is yet to start as the DEO has not yet completed the process of appointing an event manger for the show. India’s two main trade associations, CII and FICCI had been issued request for proposals but their response is not yet known. The previous editions of DEFEXPO had been organized by CII but this time, the DEO had wanted to appoint an event manager for a longer time than merely for the next edition. Amidst all this uncertainty, major exhibitors appear exasperated over whether the show will take off or not. “We have already made hotel bookings, and are committed to spending more than a million dollars as our total DEFEXPO participation cost, if the show does not happen, we will be very unhappy”, said a potential foreign exhibitor. An executive of a prominent international defense company said, “we have to organize export and import formalities, make hotel arrangements, arrange meetings with Indian officials besides press and other events. All this needs time to organize and we are fast running out of time”.