The contract was formalized in the presence of senior officials of the Ministry and BEL. Photo: X/@SpokespersonMoD
In a major step to improve air defense capabilities, the Ministry of Defense on Tuesday (March 31, 2026) signed a ₹1,950 crore contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for procurement of two mountain radars for the Air Force.
According to the ministry, the contract was signed in New Delhi under the Buy (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) category. It was formalized in the presence of senior officials from the Ministry and BEL.
The mountain radar systems were initially designed and developed by the Electronics & Radar Development Establishment under the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and will be manufactured by BEL. These radars are specially suited for deployment in high altitude and mountainous terrains, greatly improving surveillance and detection capabilities along sensitive borders, he added.
Officials said the installation and commissioning of the systems will strengthen India’s air defense network and improve the air force’s operational readiness.
The procurement is in line with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives and is expected to reduce dependence on foreign-sourced defense equipment while strengthening domestic defense manufacturing capabilities, the ministry said.
On 27 March, the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, granted approval of necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals worth about ₹2.38 crore.
Approvals include anti-aircraft belt systems, anti-tank munitions, high-capacity radio relay systems, Dhanush Gun System and runway-independent aerial surveillance systems. These systems are aimed at enhancing real-time air defense control, improving secure communications, increasing long-range artillery firepower, and improving battlefield surveillance and anti-tank lethality.
Published – 31 March 2026 21:01 IST
