- DRDO hands over Final Operational Clearance of indigenous Airborne Early Warning & Control system to the Indian Air Force, marking a major leap in India’s airborne surveillance and battle-management capability
- Netra AEW&C, developed jointly by DRDO, IAF and industry, strengthens real-time aerial surveillance, situational awareness and command-and-control capability in complex operational environments
- Deputy Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti cites the system’s operational utilisation and reliability during Operation Sindoor and the Balakot strikes, underlining its combat relevance
- With Final Operational Clearance following Initial Operational Clearance in 2017, the programme is being hailed as a landmark in indigenous aerospace capability, systems engineering and defence self-reliance
- Senior IAF, DRDO and industry leadership gather in Bengaluru as the Netra programme is recognised as a strategic milestone in India’s journey towards advanced home-grown airborne warning systems
NE DEFENCE BUREAU
BENGALURU, JUNE 25
India’s push for indigenous airborne combat-support capability crossed a major milestone on Thursday with the Indian Air Force (IAF) receiving the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) of the home-grown ‘Netra’ Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) system, a platform designed to significantly enhance airborne surveillance, situational awareness and battle-management capability.
The FOC certificate for the system — developed indigenously by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) in close collaboration with the IAF and industry partners — was formally handed over at a ceremony in Bengaluru, marking the culmination of a long developmental and operational journey that began with the grant of Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) in 2017.
The event was presided over by Deputy Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti and attended by former Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria (Retd), former DRDO Chairman Dr S Christopher, senior serving and retired IAF officers, top DRDO scientists and industry partners associated with the programme.
In his address, Air Marshal Bharti hailed the grant of FOC to the indigenous Netra AEW&C system and underscored its proven operational value. He referred to the system’s operational utilisation and reliability during Operation Sindoor and the Balakot strikes, and stressed that indigenously developed systems give the armed forces the flexibility to rapidly adapt and modify platforms in response to evolving warfighting requirements. He also praised the synergy between DRDO, the IAF and industry, describing it as central to the programme’s success.
Distinguished Scientist and Director General of DRDO’s Aeronautics Cluster, Dr K Rajalakshmi Menon, traced the developmental journey of Netra and highlighted the technical and programme-management challenges overcome along the way. She emphasised the role of systems engineering in planning, integrating and executing the flight-test programme that ultimately enabled delivery of an operationally capable system to the IAF.
Distinguished Scientist and Director General of DRDO’s Electronics Cluster, Dr B K Das, said the Netra programme stood as a defining testimony to self-reliance and to the larger national goal of Viksit Bharat, adding that the close coordination among stakeholders had been the cornerstone of its success.
The event also recognised the contribution of the multiple organisations, units and teams that helped move Netra from concept to operational reality. Special appreciation and felicitations were extended to institutions and personnel who played a pivotal role in the system’s development, certification and operationalisation.
For India’s defence establishment, the significance of Netra lies in more than certification alone. As an indigenous AEW&C platform, it strengthens the IAF’s ability to detect aerial threats, maintain a wider operational picture and support command decisions in real time — all while reducing dependence on imported high-end surveillance systems.
Commending the achievement, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the grant of Final Operational Clearance marked not only a technological milestone but also a strategic advance in strengthening India’s airborne surveillance and command-and-control capabilities. Defence Secretary and DRDO Chairman Rajesh Kumar Singh congratulated DG (Aero) and Team AEW&C for achieving the milestone.
With the Netra AEW&C system now formally cleared for full operational service, the programme stands as a visible symbol of how India’s defence modernisation is increasingly being built on home-grown platforms, operational user feedback, scientific innovation and industrial partnership — a combination that is steadily moving the country closer to self-reliance in complex aerospace and military technologies.
