DRDO Hands Over Final Clearance for Indigenous Netra AEW&C

The Final Operational Clearance ceremony was held in Bengaluru on Thursday and was presided over by Deputy Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has achieved a major milestone in India's defence modernisation programme by handing 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). The development marks the successful completion of a project that has been jointly driven by DRDO, the IAF and industry partners to strengthen the country's airborne surveillance, situational awareness and battle management capabilities.

The Final Operational Clearance ceremony was held in Bengaluru on Thursday and was presided over by Deputy Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti. The achievement represents another significant step in India's efforts to build advanced defence systems through indigenous research, engineering and manufacturing under the broader vision of self-reliance in strategic technologies.

The Netra AEW&C system had earlier received Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) in 2017. The award of Final Operational Clearance confirms that the system has successfully met operational requirements after years of testing, evaluation and service use.

Indigenous system strengthens India's airborne surveillance capability

The Netra Airborne Early Warning and Control system has been designed to provide the Indian Air Force with enhanced airborne surveillance and real-time situational awareness during military operations. The platform plays an important role in detecting aerial threats, monitoring airspace over long distances and supporting commanders with timely information for operational decision-making.

Developed through close cooperation between DRDO scientists, the Indian Air Force and Indian defence industries, the programme demonstrates the country's growing capability to produce sophisticated aerospace systems using domestic expertise.

The successful completion of the project also reduces dependence on imported airborne surveillance platforms while giving the armed forces greater flexibility to upgrade and modify the system as operational requirements evolve. Indigenous development allows engineers to introduce improvements more quickly without relying on foreign suppliers, making the platform better suited to India's long-term defence needs.

The Final Operational Clearance confirms that the system is fully ready for operational deployment and reflects years of collaboration between scientists, engineers, defence personnel and industry partners who contributed to its design, testing and integration.

Air Force highlights system's operational performance

Addressing the gathering during the ceremony, Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti praised the successful completion of the programme and acknowledged the contribution of all organisations involved in bringing the Netra system into operational service.

He highlighted the system's operational utilisation and reliability during Operation Sindoor and the Balakot strikes, stating that its performance demonstrated the value of indigenous technology in supporting the Indian Air Force during critical missions. According to the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, domestically developed systems provide greater flexibility because they can be modified to respond quickly to changing battlefield requirements and evolving operational scenarios. He also commended the close coordination between DRDO, the Indian Air Force and industry partners, describing this collaborative approach as one of the key reasons behind the programme's success.

Speaking at the event, Distinguished Scientist and Director General of DRDO's Aeronautics Cluster, Dr. K. Rajalakshmi Menon, outlined the development journey of the Netra programme. She explained that achieving the Final Operational Clearance required overcoming several technical challenges while maintaining a strong focus on system engineering throughout the project's lifecycle. She noted that careful planning and rigorous flight-testing helped ensure that the system met operational expectations before being delivered to the Indian Air Force.

Distinguished Scientist and Director General of DRDO's Electronics Cluster, Dr. B.K. Das, also addressed the gathering, saying that the partnership between scientists, operational users and industry had been the foundation of the programme's success. He described the Netra AEW&C system as a strong example of India's growing technological capabilities and an important contribution toward the national vision of Viksit Bharat.

Collaboration drives success of indigenous defence programme

The ceremony also included the recognition of organisations and teams that played important roles in developing, testing and operationalising the Netra AEW&C system. Special appreciation was extended to various defence establishments, scientific institutions and industry partners whose contributions helped transform the project from an initial concept into an operational capability for the Indian Air Force.

Among those present at the event were former Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria (Retd.), former DRDO Chairman Dr. S. Christopher, senior serving and retired Indian Air Force officers, Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS) Director P. Santhya, Chief Executive (Airworthiness) A.P.V.S. Prasad, Head of Netra FOC A.S. Kumaran, senior DRDO officials and representatives from industry.

The successful induction of the Netra AEW&C system into operational service reflects India's continued investment in indigenous defence research and advanced aerospace technologies. It also demonstrates how sustained collaboration between operational users, scientific organisations and domestic industry can deliver complex defence platforms that strengthen national security while reducing reliance on foreign technology.

With the Final Operational Clearance now formally handed over to the Indian Air Force, the Netra programme stands as one of India's most significant indigenous airborne surveillance achievements and reinforces the country's commitment to innovation, technological self-reliance and capability enhancement across the defence sector.