DRDO marks significant milestone in defense self-reliance with Netra AEW&C system
New Delhi, June 25
Marking a significant milestone in India’s push for defense self-reliance, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has achieved Final Operational Clearance (FOC) for the indigenous Netra Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system.
The FOC certificate was officially handed over to the Indian Air Force (IAF) during a grand ceremony in Bengaluru today, cementing a major upgrade to the nation’s airborne surveillance and network-centric warfare capabilities.
Attending as the Chief Guest, IAF Deputy Chief Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti praised the indigenously built system, highlighting its proven operational reliability during critical missions like the Balakot strikes and Operation Sindoor. He emphasized that homegrown technologies like Netra provide the armed forces with the essential flexibility to adapt to rapidly evolving warfare scenarios through seamless system modifications.
The successful induction of the Netra system is being hailed as a triumph of collaborative engineering. Senior DRDO officials, including Aeronautics Cluster Director General Dr. K Rajalakshmi Menon and Electronics Cluster Director General Dr. BK Das, attributed the program’s success to the tight-knit synergy between DRDO laboratories, the IAF, certification agencies, and private Indian defense industries
The event was attended by a host of distinguished military and scientific leaders, including Former Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria (Retd.) and Former DRDO Chairman Dr. S Christopher. Both highlighted the strategic significance of the collaborative ecosystem that transitioned the Netra AEW&C from a concept into a defining testimony of India’s journey toward a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India).