Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 5 (ANI): Union Minister Piyush Goyal has expressed confidence that India will become a preferred supplier for defence and aerospace given the great relationships it is creating with many other developed countries and said a lot of design and innovation is happening through global capability centres in the country.

The Minister, who visited Aerospace Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Devanahalli, expressed confidence that apart from design and innovation, more and more patents will be filed in India.

'I have absolutely no doubt that in the years to come, particularly given the great relationships that India is creating with many other developed countries, India will become a preferred supplier for defence and aerospace. Already, a lot of design and innovation is happening through global capability centres in India. Now, we will not only design and innovate in India, we will patent in India, produce in India and hopefully become globally relevant partner in supply chains. So, I am truly very optimistic about the potential of this sector,' he said.

Asked about scope of collaboration between Indian startups and global aerospace companies, the minister said that SEZ doesn't necessarily have any role in that but there is scope for a bridge or a connection between startups in India and internationally in the space of defence and aerospace.

'I will ask Startup India to see how we can use the services of all these wonderful companies and their connections to see if we can connect the two,' he said.

Asked about India's journey towards global aerospace hub, he said this defence and aerospace zone will be the beginning of a path-breaking journey.

'Starting from HAL and now with all these new units coming up, all the other Plants that I see around here, I am quite sure that this defence and aerospace zone will just be the beginning of a path-breaking journey in this field. I have absolutely no doubt that in the years to come, particularly given the great relationships that India is creating with many other developed countries, India will become a preferred supplier for defence and aerospace. Already a lot of design and innovation is happening through global capability centres in India,' he said. (ANI)