For the procurement of advanced Ashwini Radars, Bharat Electronics gets a ₹29.06 billion MoD contract, boosting India’s defence capabilities and self-reliance.
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has secured a significant contract worth ₹29.06 billion from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the supply and servicing of Ashwini Radars.
These cutting-edge, fully indigenous Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars have been developed in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
They offer integrated ‘Identification Friend or Foe’ (IFF) capabilities and advanced electronic scanning in both azimuth and elevation. The radars are designed for 4D surveillance, providing a comprehensive overview of airspace.
MoD stated on an X post, expressing enthusiasm on the deal, “Developed by DRDO, this state-of-the-art radar enhances the Indian Air Force’s capabilities, tracking aerial targets from fighter jets to UAVs and helicopters.”
Furthermore, the mobile radars come with enhanced Electronic Counter-Countermeasures (ECCM) and can be deployed across diverse terrains. They are capable of automatically detecting and tracking a wide range of aerial targets, from high-speed fighter jets to slower-moving objects, making them highly versatile for military applications.
This contract is part of BEL’s successful financial year, bringing its total order book to ₹170.3 billion for the current fiscal year.
The Ministry also noted that the programme is a “major step towards achieving self-reliance in defence manufacturing by reducing dependency on Foreign Origin Equipment Manufacturers besides acting as a catalyst for the development of defence industrial ecosystem in the country.”
