DRDO hands over Final Operational Clearance for indigenous Netra AEW&C system to IAF
Bengaluru, June 25. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on June 25 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 efforts to achieve self-reliance in advanced aerospace and defence technologies.
The FOC certification formally clears the system for full operational deployment after years of development, testing and operational evaluation. The Netra AEW&C programme had received Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) in 2017.
The handover ceremony was held in Bengaluru and was presided over by Deputy Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti.
The indigenous airborne surveillance platform has been developed through close collaboration between the IAF, DRDO and industry partners to significantly enhance India’s airborne surveillance, situational awareness and battle management capabilities.
The programme is regarded as a landmark achievement in India’s indigenous defence capability development, particularly in the field of airborne command-and-control systems, which are critical force multipliers in modern air warfare.
Among those present at the ceremony were former Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, former DRDO chairman S Christopher, senior serving and retired IAF officers, as well as senior DRDO scientists and representatives from industry partners associated with the programme.
In his address, Air Marshal Bharti highlighted the operational utility and reliability demonstrated by the Netra system during Operation Sindoor and the 2019 Balakot air strikes.
He emphasised that indigenous technologies provide the armed forces with greater flexibility to adapt systems to evolving operational requirements and changing battlefield conditions through timely modifications and upgrades.
The Deputy Chief of the Air Staff also praised the close cooperation among DRDO, the IAF and industry partners, describing the synergy among stakeholders as central to the programme’s success.
Distinguished scientist and Director General of DRDO’s Aeronautics Cluster, K Rajalakshmi Menon, outlined the developmental journey of the Netra programme, including the technical challenges encountered and the decisions that enabled the system to achieve its operational objectives.
She underlined the importance of systems engineering in planning and executing the extensive flight-testing programme that led to the system’s operational maturity.
Distinguished scientist and Director General of DRDO’s Electronics Cluster, BK Das, described the Netra programme as a defining example of India’s drive towards self-reliance and the broader vision of a developed India.
As part of the event, organisations and units that contributed to the successful development, testing and operationalisation of the Netra AEW&C system were felicitated for their role in transforming the programme from concept to operational capability.
Defence officials said the successful induction of the Netra AEW&C system into operational service underscores DRDO’s commitment to indigenisation, technological innovation and strengthening the capabilities of the armed forces through domestic development programmes.
The Netra programme is widely regarded as an example of effective collaboration among operational users, scientific institutions and defence production agencies in developing complex indigenous military technologies.
