Adani Defence, DRDO Join Hands To Build India’s ‘Eyes In The Skies’

Adani Defence and Aerospace and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have signed an agreement to jointly develop the AEW&C-MKII, India’s next-generation Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) platform for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The programme marks the first time a private Indian company has been entrusted with the development, integration and lifecycle support of an airborne mission platform of this scale and complexity.

Under the agreement, Adani Defence and DRDO will develop, manufacture and integrate airborne mission systems on six modified Airbus A321 aircraft for the IAF. The project also includes integrated logistics, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), along with technical support for up to 30 years.

The AEW&C-MKII platform will likely inducted into the IAF during 2032-33.

Known as the ‘eyes in the skies’, AEW&C aircraft provide long-range surveillance, early threat detection and real-time command and control, enabling faster and better-informed operational decisions.

The AEW&C-MKII platform is likely to significantly enhance the IAF’s situational awareness, force coordination and network-centric warfare capabilities.

The collaboration combines DRDO’s expertise in defence research and mission systems with Adani Defence’s strengths in advanced manufacturing, systems integration and lifecycle support.

With only the United States, France, Israel, China and Sweden having developed indigenous AEW&C capabilities, the programme will place India among this select group.

The platform will also integrate with the Indian Air Force’s Integrated Air Command & Control System (IACCS), enabling surveillance, air defence and operational assets to share real-time data and improve decision-making, battlespace coordination and operational responsiveness.

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