Kolkata serves as the commercial and logistics hub for Eastern India, connecting West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Assam and the entire North-East. The region represents one of India’s largest untapped markets for defence, homeland security, drones and geospatial technologies.

Eastern India is witnessing increasing strategic importance due to its proximity to international borders with Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and the Bay of Bengal maritime region. This creates strong demand for surveillance, border management, UAVs, cybersecurity and defence technologies.

Kolkata is home to major naval and shipbuilding assets including Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers and the headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command’s key support establishments. The city’s maritime ecosystem aligns perfectly with defence, MRO, naval technologies and homeland security sectors.

The city is anchored by Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port and the Haldia port complex, making it a major logistics gateway. Recent investment plans aim to transform West Bengal into Eastern India’s maritime and logistics hub with investments exceeding ₹19,000 crore.

Defence authorities have specifically called for greater participation from MSMEs in Eastern India, indicating significant opportunities for defence suppliers, startups and innovators from the region.

Hyderabad’s central location makes it easily accessible from major cities across South and Central India, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Nagpur, Raipur, and Bhubaneswar. This geographical advantage allows the event to attract participants from multiple high-growth regions rather than being limited to a single state. Organizations can engage with stakeholders from diverse markets and sectors through one platform. The city’s excellent connectivity also enables strong participation from international delegates and industry representatives. This broader reach significantly enhances the value proposition for exhibitors and sponsors.

West Bengal has one of India’s largest MSME ecosystems, with millions of enterprises capable of becoming suppliers to aerospace, defence, drone and security industries.

The Dankuni–Howrah logistics belt, Durgapur industrial region and East Coast Industrial Corridor projects are strengthening the state’s manufacturing and supply-chain capabilities.

Kolkata offers direct access to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and ASEAN markets. This makes the city a natural venue for international participation and cross-border defence, security and technology collaborations.

The city hosts premier institutions such as:

• Indian Statistical Institute
• Jadavpur University
• IIT Kharagpur
• Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology Shibpur

These institutions provide a strong foundation for innovation, AI, robotics, geospatial sciences and defence R&D.