- Why in news
- On June 25, 2026, DRDO handed the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) certificate of the indigenous Netra AEW&C system to the Indian Air Force at Bengaluru.
- What it is
- Netra is an Indian airborne early warning and control system built by DRDO's Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS). It puts a radar on an aircraft to detect aerial threats at long range and direct air battles. The IAF flies it for surveillance, situational awareness and battle management.
- FOC handed over
- DRDO gave the IAF the FOC certificate for Netra AEW&C in Bengaluru on 25 June 2026.
- Earlier IOC
- Initial Operational Clearance for Netra came in 2017, so FOC followed years later.
- Developer
- The system was developed by the IAF, DRDO and industry partners working together. The DRDO lab CABS leads airborne system design.
- Operational use
- The Deputy Chief of the Air Staff spoke of Netra's use and reliability in Operation Sindoor and the Balakot strikes.
- Role of AEW&C
- AEW&C aircraft carry a radar to detect aircraft and missiles at long range and to coordinate fighters. This extends the range of ground radars.
Don’t confuse with AEW&C vs AWACS: AEW&C is the general term for airborne radar-and-command aircraft. AWACS is the name of the US-built Boeing E-3 type. Netra is DRDO's indigenous AEW&C.
Don’t confuse with IOC vs FOC: IOC means a system is cleared for operational use with limits. FOC means all required capabilities have been proven and certified.
Defence: Prelims tests exercises (with whom), equipment (who makes it) and firsts.
Why it matters
- Strengthens India's airborne surveillance and command-and-control capability.
- Shows progress in indigenous defence technology and self-reliance.
Problems
- The gap of about nine years between IOC and FOC shows how long complex defence projects take.
- Dependence on imported platforms and sub-systems can limit full indigenisation.
Way forward
- Speed up development and certification of larger AEW&C systems with industry partners.
- Use user-developer-industry cooperation to shorten timelines.
Put in your answer
Indigenisation example: Netra FOC can be cited as an example of DRDO, IAF and industry cooperation in defence self-reliance.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Statements
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following statements:
- 1.The Netra Airborne Early Warning and Control system has been developed indigenously through collaboration among the IAF, DRDO and associated industries.
- 2.The Initial Operational Clearance for Netra was given in 2017, and the Final Operational Clearance certificate was handed over to the Indian Air Force in 2026.
- 3.An airborne early warning and control system places a radar on an aircraft, which lets it detect aerial threats at long range and direct fighters in an air battle.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
True or false?
1 of 6
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.Netra AEW&C has been indigenously developed with DRDO, the IAF and industry partners.
True. It is an indigenous DRDO-IAF-industry programme.
2.The Initial Operational Clearance for Netra was granted in 2017.
True. IOC was given in 2017.
3.The Final Operational Clearance certificate of Netra was handed over in Bengaluru.
True. The ceremony was held in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
4.The Netra FOC certificate was handed over to the Indian Navy.
False. It was handed over to the Indian Air Force.
5.An AEW&C system is mainly used to carry out aerial surveillance and battle management through a radar mounted on an aircraft.
True. AEW&C places a radar on an aircraft for long-range detection and command and control.
6.The system's operational use was cited by the IAF for Operation Sindoor and the Balakot strikes.
True. The Deputy Chief of the Air Staff mentioned both.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.