By A Correspondent

New Delhi/Bengaluru: In a major stride toward defence indigenisation and digital battlefield preparedness, the Indian Army has signed a landmark contract for the procurement of its first indigenously designed and manufactured Software Defined Radios (SDRs).

Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), the advanced SDR systems are set to revolutionise secure, real-time communication across the force.

According to the Army’s official post on X (formerly Twitter) on Oct. 28, 2025, these state-of-the-art radios are equipped with high data rates and Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) capabilities, allowing seamless, encrypted communication in dynamic and information-intensive, network-centric warfare environments.

The new SDRs are expected to significantly strengthen the Army’s operational readiness, interoperability, and tactical coordination across theatres, according to Indian Army officers.

According to BEL disclosures on Oct. 30, its recent orders this week were worth INR 732 crore. The major orders received include Software Defined Radios (SDRs), tank sub systems, communication equipment, missile components, financial management software, cyber security solutions, upgrades, spares, and services, it said.

The Software Defined Radios are the first fully indigenous radios, jointly designed and developed with DRDO and manufactured by BEL, and are interoperable with existing/legacy radios and facilitate smooth transition between technologies, the company said.

“These cutting-edge technology SDRs will ensure secure, real-time communications and strengthen the Army’s operational readiness in today’s challenging network-centric battlefields,” the statement added.

This SDR milestone comes on the heels of a broader national effort to standardise and modernise military communication technologies. Earlier this month, the DRDO—working in close collaboration with the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) and the Tri-Services—unveiled the Indian Radio Software Architecture (IRSA) Standard 1.0.

Released during a national workshop at DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi, IRSA lays the technological foundation for developing interoperable, secure, and scalable SDR systems within India’s defence ecosystem.

IRSA is a comprehensive software specification that defines standardised interfaces, APIs, and execution environments to ensure waveform portability, interoperability, certification, and conformance across military communication platforms.

Designed to evolve with emerging operational needs, IRSA establishes a unified framework for integrating future technologies into SDRs—aligning with the government’s “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” vision.

The workshop, chaired by DRDO Chairman and Department of Defence Research and Development Secretary, Dr. Samir V. Kamat, brought together senior officials from the Armed Forces, Department of Defence Production (DDP), Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), academia, and private industry.

Integrated Defence Staff Chief, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, and IIT Gandhinagar Director, Prof. Rajat Moona, were Guests of Honour, underscoring the collaborative spirit driving India’s defence innovation ecosystem.

The IRSA initiative originated in 2021, when the critical importance of SDRs in modern, data-driven warfare was recognised. A core technical team led by DRDO began work in 2022, engaging with the services to define operational and user requirements.

After extensive consultations and technical reviews, IRSA Version 1.0 was approved by the High-Level Advisory Committee (HLAC) in 2025, marking a pivotal moment in India’s defence technology roadmap.

The Indian Army’s adoption of indigenously developed SDRs is not only a significant technological leap but also a strategic move towards self-reliance and future-ready communication infrastructure.

As India positions itself as a global hub for defence innovation, the IRSA framework and DRDO-BEL collaboration are expected to set a global benchmark for SDR technology, paving the way for export-ready, IRSA-compliant solutions to friendly nations.

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