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New Delhi—India has embarked on a transformative leap in its aerospace defense capabilities with the government’s approval of the ₹20,000 crore NETRA MK-II project. A next-generation indigenous Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) initiative led by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
This ambitious program will convert six Airbus A321 aircraft into advanced airborne surveillance platforms. These planes were acquired from Air India. The A321s will undergo extensive structural modifications. Airbus and Indian private sector partners will collaborate on these changes.
The result will be a cutting-edge “flying fortress.” It will operate with fully indigenous Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar systems. The radar systems will be housed in large dorsal fin-like radomes. These radomes will sit atop the fuselage.
The NETRA MK-II’s technological centerpiece is its indigenous Gallium Nitride-based (GaN) AESA radar, a game changer in terms of detection range, accuracy, and resistance to electronic jamming.
Unlike earlier systems with limited coverage and range, this radar provides true 360-degree long-range surveillance capable of detecting and tracking enemy aircraft, missiles, drones, and certain ground assets well beyond Indian airspace.
Additionally, mission systems developed indigenously by DRDO enable the aircraft to serve as airborne command centers, sharing real-time battlefield data with fighter jets and ground stations, thus enabling net-centric warfare and superior force coordination.
This marks the first time India is basing an AWACS fleet on the Airbus A321 platform, breaking from the traditional Boeing dominance globally.
The NETRA MK-II will complement and eventually replace the existing Indian Air Force (IAF) fleet, which today includes the smaller Embraer ERJ-145-based Netra AEW&C aircraft with about 240-degree coverage and the larger IL-76-based Phalcon AWACS providing near full spherical coverage but with certain operational limitations.
Beyond boosting India's battlefield situational awareness and prolonged surveillance capabilities, the project signifies a major stride in self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
It will also catalyze growth in India’s defense manufacturing ecosystem, advancing expertise in high-end aviation electronics, system integration, and mission software development while strengthening indigenous supply chains.
Strategically, it closes technological gaps with regional adversaries such as Pakistan, which operates Saab-2000 Erieye and Chinese ZDK03 Eagle AWACS.
The NETRA MK-II project is targeted for completion within three years, aligning with DRDO’s broader advanced military programs like the AMCA fifth-generation fighter. It is expected that initial aircraft deliveries and modifications will commence by 2027, with developmental trials by 2029 and formal induction by 2030, solidifying India’s position among a select group of nations capable of independently designing and operationalizing sophisticated airborne early warning and control platforms.
In sum, the NETRA MK-II will serve as India’s “eye in the sky,” substantially enhancing the IAF’s ability to detect, track, and coordinate responses to aerial and missile threats—dramatically redefining India’s defensive and offensive aerospace posture across the strategic Indian Ocean and Asia-Pacific regions.