On Wednesday, the defence ministry signed a ₹2,906-crore contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to supply the Indian Air Force with indigenously made ‘Ashwini’ low-level transportable radar, enhancing its ability to detect and track aerial targets and support the country’s self-reliance efforts.

“The radar is capable of tracking aerial targets, ranging from high-speed fighter aircraft to slow-moving targets such as unmanned aerial vehicles and helicopters. Its acquisition will significantly enhance the operational preparedness of the IAF,” as per the ministry.

The ‘Ashwini’ radar was designed and developed locally by the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment in Bengaluru, a unit of DRDO. This marks the first order for the system. The contract was signed in the company of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, who recently submitted the empowered committee’s report on enhancing the IAF’s capabilities to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. According to the ministry’s statement, this radar project is a significant step toward self-reliance in defence manufacturing, reducing dependence on foreign suppliers and fostering the growth of the domestic defence industry.

According to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released Monday, India’s weapon imports declined by 9.3% between 2015–19 and 2020–24. Despite this reduction, India remains the world’s second-largest arms importer, following Ukraine, which is engaged in a war with Russia. This decline in imports coincides with a significant rise in domestic defence production, which reached its highest-ever value in the financial year 2024-25, driven by supportive policy measures. The production value has surpassed ₹1.27 lakh crore and is expected to surpass ₹1.6 lakh crore in 2025-26.

In recent years, India has implemented various steps to strengthen self-reliance. These include gradually banning the import of certain weapons and systems, setting aside a dedicated budget for domestically manufactured military equipment, raising the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit from 49% to 74%, and enhancing the ease of accomplishing business.