Project Akashteer

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Context:  Automated Air Defence Control & Reporting System ‘Project Akashteer’ to automate the air defence systems was launched.

About ‘Project Akashteer’ :

• Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Ministry of Defence had signed a contract for the procurement of Automated Air Defence Control & Reporting System ‘Project Akashteer’ worth Rs 1,982 crore for the Indian Army in April 2023.
• Project Akashteer is a new automation initiative under which a range of new systems, mostly indigenous, are being inducted, with new technologies factoring in the new realities.

Importance of the project:

• It will build a comprehensive air defence picture for the monitoring, tracking and shooting down of air defence assets.
• This will link all the radars and control centres of AAD and consolidate the air defence picture, removing duplications or overlaps and also integrate all the weapons.
• Project Akashteer’ will empower the Air Defence units of the Indian Army with an indigenous, state-of-the-art capability, to effectively operate in an integrated manner.
• Akashteer will enable monitoring of low-level airspace over the battle areas of the Indian Army and effectively control the Ground Based Air Defence Weapon Systems.

Other Systems included in Defense systems recently for indigenisation are:

Sarang system:

• Sarang is an advanced Electronic Support Measure system for helicopters of the Indian Navy, designed and developed indigenously by Defence Electronics Research Laboratory, Hyderabad under programme Samudrika.
• The scheme will generate an employment of approximately two lakh man-days over a period of three years.
• Both the projects will encourage participation of Indian Electronics and associated industries, including MSMEs, who are sub vendors of BEL.

Advanced Communication Satellite:

• It was a Rs 3,000 crore contract signed with NewSpace India Limited for an Advanced Communication Satellite for the Indian Army.
• The satellite will considerably enhance the communication capability of the Indian Army by providing mission-critical beyond line of sight communication to troops and formations as well as weapon and airborne platforms.
• The geostationary satellite, being a first-of-its-kind in the five-tonne category, will be developed indigenously by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• Many parts and sub-assemblies and systems will be sourced from indigenous manufacturers, including MSMEs and start-ups, thereby giving a fillip to the private Indian space industry, in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
• The project will generate employment of approximately three lakh man-days over a period of three and half years.

Conclusion

Many parts and sub-assemblies and systems will be sourced from indigenous manufacturers under the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat by India. The need today is for a comprehensive air defence solution.India needs to build the capability of indigenous manufacturers.

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