Domestic technical textiles Industry Segment-wise consumption of ...

The market for hot air balloons is very small in India as Hot air ballooning as a sport is still in a
nascent stage. The demand for hot air balloons is mainly from defence sector. A hot air ballooning
node has been established in Bhopal where a large number of army cadets participate in hot air
ballooning. In the non defence sector, the balloons are used on rent i.e. people are charged for each
rides.
The Ballooning Club of India (based in Delhi) organizes training programs and hot balloon rides. The
club revealed that about 2000 people participate in these events which are organized through out the
year. Balloon rides are organized in Agra, Pushkar, Beneshwar, Nagaur, Rishikesh, Haridwar and
Dehradun. The participation cost is about Rs 40,000 per person. The balloon rides are generally done
in winters when the wind speeds are not very high.
The ballooning club also organizes an annual event called Balloon Mela in the month of November.
35 teams from across the globe participate in this event. The organization hopes to conduct this event
on a bigger scale once they get adequate sponsorships.
The key market drivers for ballooning are the popularity of the sport and the purchasing power of the
customers as the current cost of Rs 40,000 for each ride is very high. The increase in both domestic
and international tourists augurs well for the sport.
Key manufacturers of ballooning fabrics
Bandhu Aerospace Private Ltd (Delhi) is the pioneer in the field of hot air ballooning. It is the only
manufacturer (Fabricator) of Hot air balloons in India. The company has a tie up with Ultra Magic
balloons (Spain). The hot air balloons are manufactured as and when the orders are received. The
company is fabricating 4-5 balloons per annum over the past few years.
This company imports most of the fabric required for balloons from Carrington (UK). The company is
trying to find local sources for the balloon fabric to cut down the cost (the cost can come down from
Rs 15 lakhs to Rs 5 lakhs if sufficient domestic supply of ballooning fabric is present).
In India, Kusumgar and Entremonde are the key manufacturers of ballooning fabrics in India.
First Media Inflatable & Balloons (Hyderabad) has stopped making hot air balloons due to inadequate
demand. The company has not renewed its license from Director General of civil aviation (DGCA).