The new manufacturing programme will utilise BEL’s production facilities in Bengaluru
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has recently announced the expansion of its Transfer of Technology (ToT) partnership with France’s Thales Group. The deal is to manufacture advanced microwave modules for the SPECTRA electronic warfare (EW) suite onboard the Rafale fighter aircraft in India. This step showcases a major push towards defence indigenisation under the Make in India initiative.
This deal builds upon a long-term collaboration between BEL and Thales. Through this partnership, BEL has made more than 7,000 transmit/receive (T/R) modules for the Rafale’s RBE2 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. With the latest expansion, BEL will now localise the production of high-frequency microwave modules that form a critical part of the SPECTRA EW system.
The new manufacturing programme will utilise BEL’s production facilities in Bengaluru, which were previously upgraded through technology transfer from Thales. The initiative included specialised training for Indian engineers, the establishment of dedicated SMC wiring facilities, and the installation of advanced testing infrastructure to support high-precision production.
The microwave modules are integral to the SPECTRA system’s radar warning, threat detection, identification, and electronic jamming capabilities, enhancing the Rafale’s survivability in hostile operational environments. Local production is expected to strengthen India’s ability to sustain, maintain, and upgrade its Rafale fleet while reducing dependence on overseas suppliers for critical electronic warfare components.
The expanded localisation programme also broadens BEL’s contribution to the Rafale ecosystem beyond radar technologies into the highly specialised field of electronic warfare. It represents a significant advancement in India’s defence manufacturing capabilities, as electronic warfare technologies have traditionally remained closely guarded by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
The collaboration is part of a broader series of technology transfer initiatives between BEL and Thales that have gradually integrated Indian industry into the Rafale supply chain. In addition to BEL’s radar module production, Indian companies are already manufacturing complex wiring systems and other aerospace components for the aircraft.
Industry observers view the latest development as a strategic step toward India’s long-term objective of moving from licensed production to co-development and co-design of advanced defence technologies. The programme also aligns with the Indian Air Force’s localisation roadmap, which calls for at least 40% indigenous content in future Rafale acquisition programmes, with higher domestic content targeted in subsequent production batches.
The expansion further reinforces India’s growing capability to manufacture sophisticated aerospace and electronic warfare systems domestically while strengthening the country’s defence industrial base and supply chain resilience.
