India is preparing a significant technological leap in its defence architecture. In response to the accelerated deployment of stealth-capable fifth-generation fighter jets by regional rivals China and Pakistan, India is on the verge of concluding a landmark government-to-government deal with Russia to acquire the Container-S Over-the-Horizon (OTH) radar system.
Sources within the Indian defence establishment confirm that the system—known in Russian military-industrial nomenclature as the 29B6—is a game-changing long-range surveillance platform capable of detecting aerial threats at distances exceeding 3,000 kilometers. Developed by Russian defence giant NPK NIIDAR, the radar will become the longest-range sensor in India’s arsenal and a cornerstone of its early warning and air defence network.
“This acquisition will fundamentally reshape our situational awareness across two active military frontiers,” a senior defence official told this reporter on condition of anonymity. “The Container-S radar gives us eyes far beyond the horizon, a critical advantage in modern warfare defined by stealth, speed, and surprise.”
India’s move comes amid rapid technological advances and force posturing by adversaries. China has significantly intensified air deployments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), stationing its J-20 Mighty Dragon fifth-generation stealth fighters at forward airbases in Tibet. Notably, Shigatse Airbase—just 150 km from India’s Sikkim sector—was observed via satellite imagery on May 27, 2024, hosting six J-20s alongside eight J-10 multirole fighters and a KJ-500 airborne early warning system.
The J-20, manufactured by Chengdu Aerospace Corporation, is equipped with Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, internal weapons bays, supercruise capabilities, and electronic warfare suites. Designed to rival the U.S. F-22 and F-35, it poses a formidable threat to traditional radar systems due to its low radar cross-section (RCS) and advanced avionics.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is fast-tracking its entry into the stealth fighter arena. Its air force is expected to induct China’s J-35A, a carrier-capable fifth-generation aircraft designed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, by early 2026—six months ahead of its original schedule. With plans to procure up to 40 J-35A aircraft, Pakistan could soon have an edge in stealth capability before India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project reaches operational maturity.
The arrival of these stealth assets—especially when integrated with early warning aircraft, precision missile systems, and network-centric warfare tools—threatens to saturate Indian air defences and challenge its conventional superiority in the skies.
India’s decision to procure the Container-S radar is a strategic countermove rooted in technological necessity. Traditional radars operate in microwave frequencies and rely on line-of-sight detection—an inherent limitation when tracking low-observable targets such as stealth aircraft or cruise missiles flying below radar coverage. The Container-S system breaks this limitation.
Operating in the High Frequency (HF) band between 5 MHz and 28 MHz, the radar exploits a phenomenon known as skywave propagation, in which radio waves bounce off the ionosphere and return to Earth, effectively enabling the radar to see beyond the curve of the Earth.
This means that stealth aircraft, hypersonic glide vehicles, or low-flying cruise missiles can be detected hours before they enter Indian airspace. This time buffer could prove invaluable during wartime, allowing pre-emptive defensive deployments or precision intercept missions.
The Container-S features a bistatic configuration—a design wherein the transmitter and receiver sites are physically separated, providing not only redundancy but also greater resistance to electronic warfare. The system’s transmitting site houses 36 antennas, each approximately 34 meters tall, while the receiving site comprises a sprawling field of 144 antennas aligned with surgical precision.
This layout allows the radar to:
- Cover a 240-degree field of view
- Monitor airspace up to 100 kilometers in altitude
- Track hundreds of airborne objects simultaneously
- Detect targets with RCS as low as 0.1 square meters
- Remain resilient against jamming, spoofing, and cyber intrusion
Most critically, its wide-area surveillance capability over intercontinental distances makes it possible to monitor Chinese airbases in Tibet, Pakistan’s air corridors, and even naval activity in the Arabian Sea or Bay of Bengal—offering a strategic intelligence layer previously unavailable to Indian defence planners.
The radar will be integrated into India’s existing multi-layered air defence network:
- S-400 Triumf long-range surface-to-air missile systems
- Rafale fighters based at Hasimara and Ambala
- Akash-NG and Barak-8 missile batteries
- AWACS platforms for airborne surveillance
Notably, during the May 2025 cross-border skirmish, the S-400 reportedly intercepted multiple hostile drones and cruise missiles launched near Arunachal Pradesh—a performance that reinforced the system’s battlefield relevance. With Container-S feeding real-time tracking data into this ecosystem, India’s ability to identify and neutralize stealthy intrusions or surprise attacks will be significantly enhanced.
Multiple Container-S systems are likely to be deployed at strategic locations—including near the western theatre facing Pakistan and the northern theatre abutting China. The Himalayas, which previously impeded long-range radar performance due to their topography, will now be effectively monitored through ionospheric reflection.
Analysts view China’s actions as part of a “dual strategy”—one that combines aggressive posturing with diplomatic hedging. The deployment of stealth fighters to high-altitude locations such as Shigatse indicates a deliberate shift in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF)’s priorities from internal defence to external power projection.
These moves mirror the tactical patterns observed during the 2020 Galwan Valley standoff and subsequent LAC flare-ups, where forward deployments, infrastructure upgrades, and intense patrolling activity were used to exert pressure on India.
Pakistan, in parallel, is emerging as China’s military proxy in South Asia. The J-35A’s early delivery—reported by multiple intelligence agencies—suggests a concerted Sino-Pakistani effort to create a two-front stealth threat for India. Pakistani pilots have already been dispatched to China for specialized training on the platform, underscoring the operational urgency.
The J-35A’s design incorporates advanced radar-absorbing materials, internal weapons carriage, and reduced heat signatures. It is intended to operate as a battlefield integrator—linking with air and ground systems to conduct multi-axis, networked warfare.
“We’re witnessing a fundamental transformation in South Asia’s aerial balance,” said Dr. Mandeep Singh, a military aviation expert at the Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS). “The stealth era is no longer theoretical. It’s here, and India must respond not just with aircraft but with information dominance.”
India has ambitious plans to develop its own fifth-generation stealth fighter, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). Jointly designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the AMCA project promises a domestically-built stealth solution.
However, the project is still in developmental phase, with its first prototype expected by 2028 and induction no earlier than 2032. Delays in design validation, engine development, and testing mean that a fifth-gen capability gap exists and could persist for another decade—unless India procures off-the-shelf solutions or accelerates indigenous timelines.
Efforts to acquire the F-35 Lightning II from the United States have reportedly stalled over concerns about technology sharing and strategic autonomy. In this interim, systems like the Container-S radar offer asymmetric offsets—leveraging detection and data fusion capabilities to counter stealth without necessarily matching it aircraft for aircraft.
The purchase of the Container-S system is more than just a hardware acquisition—it is a doctrinal evolution. India is transitioning from a platform-centric defence model to a network-centric warfare posture, where early warning, multi-domain awareness, and real-time response are prioritized over mere fleet size.
In the age of hypersonic weapons, autonomous swarms, and artificial intelligence, it is no longer sufficient to detect threats at the border; they must be tracked at birth, well before they cross thresholds of engagement.
“The Container-S gives India a God’s-eye view,” said Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Rajesh Narayan, former Director General of Military Intelligence. “It’s not just about seeing far. It’s about seeing first—and deciding faster.”
With China and Pakistan pushing ahead with fifth-generation platforms, India is pivoting smartly—opting for superior visibility over contested skies. The Container-S radar will not replace stealth fighters, but it will act as their most formidable counter-intelligence asset, capable of neutralizing the very advantage stealth was designed to create: surprise.
