In a setback to India’s defence indigenisation efforts, Hindustan Aeronautics ( HAL) has reportedly decided to equip the final batch of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A with imported radar and electronic warfare systems. As per reports, the state-run firm will use Israeli ELTA Systems’ components instead of the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s ( DRDO) homegrown Uttam AESA radar and Swayam Raksha Kavach (SRK) EW suite.
HAL issues Letter of Intent to Israeli firm
HAL has reportedly issued a Letter of Intent to Israel’s ELTA Systems for supplying radar and EW systems for 43 out of the 83 Tejas Mk1A jets ordered by the Indian Air Force under a ₹48,000 crore deal signed in 2021. This move reverses HAL’s earlier decision to start integrating the indigenous DRDO systems from the 41st aircraft onward.
“The DRDO radar and EW suite are not fully certified for production,” a HAL official told India Today . The company cited delays in certification by the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification ( CEMILAC) as the reason behind choosing the foreign systems.
DRDO contests certification delay claims
However, DRDO officials disagree with HAL’s explanation, stating that the Uttam AESA radar was cleared for production in 2023. According to DRDO, an official communication from April 2025 confirmed that four key stages of flight trials and hardware qualification had been completed, and CEMILAC had advised HAL to begin subsystem production.
“We’ve asked HAL for more time. Full certification of the SRK suite will be ready before production reaches the 41st aircraft,” a senior DRDO official told India Today. DRDO has also proposed using a hybrid setup that combines the indigenous radar with imported EW systems in the interim.
What makes AESA radar critical
AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar is a key technology in modern fighter jets. Unlike traditional radar systems that use mechanical movement, AESA radars use multiple small transmit/receive modules to steer the beam electronically. This allows faster detection of targets, simultaneous tracking of multiple threats, and greater resistance to jamming.
DRDO’s Uttam radar uses Gallium Arsenide-based modules and can track more than 50 targets at over 100 km. It is modular and scalable, which means it can also be used in future Indian platforms such as the AMCA and upgraded Su-30MKI.
In comparison, Israel’s EL/M-2052 radar can track more than 60 targets and supports air-to-air, air-to-ground, and maritime roles. However, experts warn that it is dependent on foreign supply chains and source code, which may create risks during war or sanctions.
Experts react to HAL’s decision
Some experts do not see the move as a rejection of indigenous technology. Rajiv Nayan from the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses told Navbharat Times, “Such contracts clearly state which systems will be used, and altering that at a later stage is rarely possible.”
Nayan also said, “There is often speculation about sub-par performance, but that is not the case with the Uttam radar. India is in the process of developing world-class weapon systems, and the radar will certainly be integrated at a later stage.” He added that indigenous systems had proved their capability during Operation Sindoor.
On the question of foreign influence, Nayan said, “No lobby can derail a capable system. Only if a system is genuinely not up to the mark does such pressure become effective.” However, other defence experts quoted in the Navbharat Times report admitted that foreign lobbies—especially from the U.S., Israel, and France—try to reduce the use of Indian components in deals.
The larger question: strategic autonomy
Experts agree that India must continue to support its domestic technologies. They said, “We have to place our trust in Indian systems, even if there are minor shortcomings. Continuous operational use is the only way to improve them and secure our strategic autonomy.”
The decision by HAL has triggered a wider debate on the balance between operational readiness and indigenisation goals. As India moves forward with major defence programs, the outcome of such choices will likely shape the future of domestic defence manufacturing.
HAL issues Letter of Intent to Israeli firm
HAL has reportedly issued a Letter of Intent to Israel’s ELTA Systems for supplying radar and EW systems for 43 out of the 83 Tejas Mk1A jets ordered by the Indian Air Force under a ₹48,000 crore deal signed in 2021. This move reverses HAL’s earlier decision to start integrating the indigenous DRDO systems from the 41st aircraft onward.
“The DRDO radar and EW suite are not fully certified for production,” a HAL official told India Today . The company cited delays in certification by the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification ( CEMILAC) as the reason behind choosing the foreign systems.
DRDO contests certification delay claims
However, DRDO officials disagree with HAL’s explanation, stating that the Uttam AESA radar was cleared for production in 2023. According to DRDO, an official communication from April 2025 confirmed that four key stages of flight trials and hardware qualification had been completed, and CEMILAC had advised HAL to begin subsystem production.
“We’ve asked HAL for more time. Full certification of the SRK suite will be ready before production reaches the 41st aircraft,” a senior DRDO official told India Today. DRDO has also proposed using a hybrid setup that combines the indigenous radar with imported EW systems in the interim.
What makes AESA radar critical
AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar is a key technology in modern fighter jets. Unlike traditional radar systems that use mechanical movement, AESA radars use multiple small transmit/receive modules to steer the beam electronically. This allows faster detection of targets, simultaneous tracking of multiple threats, and greater resistance to jamming.
DRDO’s Uttam radar uses Gallium Arsenide-based modules and can track more than 50 targets at over 100 km. It is modular and scalable, which means it can also be used in future Indian platforms such as the AMCA and upgraded Su-30MKI.
In comparison, Israel’s EL/M-2052 radar can track more than 60 targets and supports air-to-air, air-to-ground, and maritime roles. However, experts warn that it is dependent on foreign supply chains and source code, which may create risks during war or sanctions.
Experts react to HAL’s decision
Some experts do not see the move as a rejection of indigenous technology. Rajiv Nayan from the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses told Navbharat Times, “Such contracts clearly state which systems will be used, and altering that at a later stage is rarely possible.”
Nayan also said, “There is often speculation about sub-par performance, but that is not the case with the Uttam radar. India is in the process of developing world-class weapon systems, and the radar will certainly be integrated at a later stage.” He added that indigenous systems had proved their capability during Operation Sindoor.
On the question of foreign influence, Nayan said, “No lobby can derail a capable system. Only if a system is genuinely not up to the mark does such pressure become effective.” However, other defence experts quoted in the Navbharat Times report admitted that foreign lobbies—especially from the U.S., Israel, and France—try to reduce the use of Indian components in deals.
The larger question: strategic autonomy
Experts agree that India must continue to support its domestic technologies. They said, “We have to place our trust in Indian systems, even if there are minor shortcomings. Continuous operational use is the only way to improve them and secure our strategic autonomy.”
The decision by HAL has triggered a wider debate on the balance between operational readiness and indigenisation goals. As India moves forward with major defence programs, the outcome of such choices will likely shape the future of domestic defence manufacturing.
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