GG News Bureau
Bengaluru, 25th June: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Thursday handed over the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) certificate for the indigenous Netra Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system to the Indian Air Force (IAF), marking a major milestone in India’s indigenous defence capability.
The Netra AEW&C system, developed jointly by DRDO, the IAF and industry partners, is designed to significantly enhance airborne surveillance, situational awareness and battle management capabilities. The system had received Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) in 2017.
The FOC certificate was presented during a ceremony in Bengaluru presided over by Deputy Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti.
Addressing the gathering, Air Marshal Bharti highlighted the operational reliability of the Netra system during Operation Sindoor and the Balakot air strikes, stating that indigenous technologies provide the flexibility to rapidly adapt defence systems to evolving battlefield requirements.
He credited the close collaboration between the IAF, DRDO and industry for the successful development and operationalisation of the programme.
DRDO’s Director General (Aeronautics Cluster), Dr. K. Rajalakshmi Menon, outlined the technological challenges overcome during the project and said systematic engineering and extensive flight testing were key to delivering an operationally capable system.
Director General (Electronics Cluster), Dr. B. K. Das, described the Netra programme as a landmark achievement in India’s journey towards self-reliance and Viksit Bharat, emphasising that collaboration among all stakeholders was central to its success.
During the ceremony, DRDO and the IAF also felicitated organisations and teams that contributed to the development and induction of the indigenous airborne surveillance platform.
The successful induction of the Netra AEW&C system is expected to strengthen the Indian Air Force’s surveillance and command capabilities while reinforcing India’s push for indigenous aerospace and defence technologies.
