PIB TrackerDRDO signs AEW&C MK-II contracts — with Air India's arm and Adani Defence building India's next 'eye in the sky'
DRDO's Centre for Airborne Systems signed two contracts for the indigenous AEW&C MK-II programme — one with Air India Engineering Services to convert six A321 jets into radar platforms, and one with Adani Defence as a development-cum-production partner for the mission systems — a boost for self-reliant airborne early warning.
What happened
- DRDO's Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS) signed two contracts under the AEW&C MK-II programme.
- AI Engineering Services (AIESL) will convert six A321 aircraft from commercial to 'green' configuration.
- Adani Defence (ADSTL) is engaged as a Development-cum-Production Partner for the Mission Systems.
- AEW&C — an 'eye in the sky' — is an airborne-radar force multiplier for air defence and battle management.
- It builds on the indigenous Netra AEW&C (the ~Rs 19,000 crore MK-II project) — a boost to Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
For Prelims
- AEW&C: Airborne Early Warning and Control — an aircraft with a powerful radar to detect and track targets at long range; a force multiplier ('eye in the sky').
- CABS: The Centre for Air Borne Systems (Bengaluru) — the DRDO lab that develops India's AEW&C systems.
- Netra AEW&C: India's indigenous AEW&C system; the MK-II is the next-generation programme on Airbus A321 platforms.
- AESA radar: Active Electronically Scanned Array radar — offers near-360-degree coverage and long detection ranges.
- DcPP: A Development-cum-Production Partner — a private/industry partner that co-develops and produces a defence system (here, Adani Defence).
- Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence: Indigenous design + private-sector participation in high-end defence manufacturing.
For UPSC: A defence-indigenisation item — building India's next airborne early-warning capability with private-sector partners. Use it for defence self-reliance (Aatmanirbhar Bharat), DRDO and force-multipliers (AEW&C), private participation in defence, and indigenous high-tech manufacturing.
What it is NOT: This is the signing of development/production contracts (an early programme stage), not the induction of aircraft. The AEW&C MK-II will be developed and delivered over the coming years, not immediately.
For Mains
Syllabus: GS3.12 · GS3.20 · Linkage L2
Anchor
Self-reliant force multipliers — building India's next airborne early-warning system indigenously.
Substantiation (data)
DRDO/CABS signed two AEW&C MK-II contracts: AIESL to convert six A321s, and Adani Defence as Development-cum-Production Partner for mission systems; builds on Netra AEW&C (~Rs 19,000 crore MK-II project, AESA radar).
Exemplification
Private-sector (Adani) as a development-cum-production partner and Air India's arm for aircraft conversion — indigenous defence ecosystem.
Problematisation
Timely delivery of complex airborne systems, integration risk, and building private high-end defence capability.
Way-forward
Deliver the MK-II on schedule, deepen private participation and indigenous radar/mission-system capability, and grow the AEW&C fleet.
Position
Indigenous force-multipliers with private-industry partners strengthen air power and defence self-reliance.
Deploys into: Security — indigenisation and new tech + security forces (GS3.12, GS3.20) · AEW&C force-multipliers and Netra/MK-II, DRDO and private-sector defence participation, and Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence.
Ministry of Defence · 2026-07-22 · PRID 2288009 · PIB source ↗