India’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), the lead organisation behind the country’s fighter aircraft development programmes, has issued a fresh call for private-sector collaboration to support the integration of three advanced sensor systems for the upcoming Tejas Mk2. The initiative marks a significant step in accelerating the jet’s development timeline as the Indian Air Force (IAF) prepares to induct the new platform to replace its ageing MiG-21 fleet.
In its latest announcement, the ADA outlined a need for full-spectrum support from industry partners to install, test, validate, and certify three critical technologies that form the backbone of the Tejas Mk2’s combat capability. The organisation is seeking companies capable of handling system development assistance, qualification testing, airworthiness documentation, and mission-critical flight integration.
Officials familiar with the programme said the expanded partnership model is designed to ensure the long-delayed jet reaches its first flight milestone by early 2026. With multiple advanced subsystems now entering their final stages of refinement, ADA is placing strong emphasis on integrating and certifying them in parallel to avoid bottlenecks.
The private companies selected will be responsible for ground integration work, flight testing support at the National Flight Test Centre (NFTC), and comprehensive post-flight analysis. This includes identifying anomalies during trials, rectifying issues in coordination with laboratory teams, and ensuring all sensor functions meet the standards set by the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC).
The move aligns with the government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) vision, which seeks to grow domestic defence manufacturing by involving a wider network of state-owned companies, medium and small enterprises (MSMEs), and specialised private avionics suppliers. According to senior ADA officials, this collaborative framework is essential not only for meeting tight timelines but also for strengthening India’s long-term aerospace ecosystem.
The three systems for which ADA is seeking industry collaboration are among the most sophisticated on board the Tejas Mk2. Designed to ensure the jet’s survivability and situational awareness, they enable secure intelligence-sharing, passive target detection, and reliable identification of friendly forces.
A core element of the aircraft’s Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) suite, the CIT works as a secondary surveillance radar. It sends encrypted electronic queries to nearby aircraft or ground stations and interprets their responses to determine whether they are friendly or hostile. The system offers 360-degree coverage and incorporates anti-jamming features to ensure reliability in contested environments. Data from the CIT feeds directly into the jet’s mission computer, helping pilots make rapid decisions during long-range engagements.
The SDR will act as the Tejas Mk2’s main communication backbone, enabling secure voice, data, and video transmission. Unlike conventional radios, SDRs rely heavily on software for signal processing, allowing them to be updated to support new communication protocols or counter emerging threats. The system will allow seamless connectivity with other fighters, ground command centres, and even unmanned aerial vehicles, enhancing the IAF’s network-centric warfare capability.
The IRST is a passive sensor that detects the infrared signatures of enemy aircraft—such as engine heat—without emitting any radar signal, making it undetectable by opposing radar warning systems. It provides long-range tracking, reportedly up to 100 km under optimal conditions, and can detect multiple targets simultaneously. The IRST will operate in tandem with DRDO’s indigenous Uttam Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, offering the pilot a dual layer of situational awareness even in electronic warfare-heavy scenarios.
All three systems have been developed by DRDO laboratories with contributions from industry partners. They will now undergo ground vibration tests, electromagnetic compatibility trials, and rigorous multi-phase flight trials at NFTC.
ADA engineers will then conduct detailed data evaluations before the systems are forwarded to CEMILAC for final certification.
With the Tejas Mk2 expected to form a significant component of the IAF’s future fleet, the success of this integration phase will be crucial in determining whether India can deliver a reliable and combat-ready fighter within the targeted timeframe.
