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The Ministry of Defence on Tuesday signed a Rs 1,950-crore contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the supply of two mountain radars along with associated equipment and infrastructure for the Indian Air Force (IAF), in a move aimed at strengthening air defence capabilities in high-altitude regions.
According to an official statement, the contract has been concluded under the ‘Buy (Indian–Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)’ category, reinforcing the government’s push to cut reliance on imports and promote domestic defence manufacturing.
The radars have been designed and developed by the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment, a key laboratory under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and will be produced by BEL. The company will handle manufacturing, installation and commissioning, along with delivery of supporting infrastructure.
Designed specifically for mountainous terrain, these radars address the limitations of conventional systems in high-altitude areas, where line-of-sight constraints and extreme weather can hamper detection. Once deployed, they are expected to significantly improve the IAF’s ability to detect and track aerial threats, including fighter aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles, at extended ranges.
Officials said the induction of these systems will plug critical surveillance gaps along sensitive border areas, enhancing situational awareness and reducing response time within India’s integrated air defence network.
Beyond operational gains, the project is also expected to provide a fillip to the domestic defence ecosystem, with a network of local vendors and MSMEs likely to be involved in the production chain.
Team BharatShakti
