For years, stealth fighters and hypersonic missiles seemed like ghosts in the sky, too fast and too invisible for traditional radars to catch. As a defence enthusiast, I often wondered: how will India ever counter such threats?
On 25th August 2025, the answer arrived. DRDO unveiled India’s first indigenous photonic radar, a cutting-edge system capable of tracking stealth aircraft, hypersonic weapons, and low-RCS drones with unmatched clarity. To me, this is far more than just another radar; it’s India’s bold step into the future of air defence, and a signal to the world that our skies will not be left unguarded.
Photonic Radar Explained: Why India Needs It for Stealth Detection
1. How Does Photonic Radar Work?
Think of photonic radar as replacing heavy copper wiring with beams of light. By using lasers and photonic circuits, it delivers ultra-wide bandwidth, razor-sharp resolution, and immunity to jamming, everything conventional radars struggle to match.
For India, this breakthrough is more than technical. It fits perfectly into the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission, reducing dependence on imports and giving the country a credible answer to stealth fighters, drone swarms, and hypersonic weapons.
2. Why Is DRDO’s Photonic Radar a Game-Changer for India?
The DRDO photonic radar aligns with India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission, cutting dependence on imported radar technologies. Developed by DRDO’s Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), this radar will strengthen India’s air defence against modern aerial threats like stealth jets and hypersonic weapons.
What Are the Key Features of DRDO’s Photonic Radar
1. Ultra-Wide Bandwidth: Defeating Stealth
With an 11 GHz bandwidth centred at 34 GHz, it spans the frequencies stealth jets are tuned to evade. What they try to hide, this radar makes visible.
2. Razor-Sharp Resolution: Seeing the Unseen
With 1.3 cm resolution, it can detect components as small as 3×4 cm, even the spinning blades of a drone propeller. For drone warfare, that’s a decisive advantage.
3. Immune to Jamming: Staying Clear in Electronic Warfare
Thanks to optical signal processing, it is naturally resistant to jamming and deception. Simply put: no electronic trick can blind it.
4. Compact and Versatile: Built for the Battlefield
Unlike bulky lab prototypes, this radar is compact and energy-efficient, making it ideal for deployment on:
- Su-30MKI, Tejas, and Rafale
- Naval destroyers and frigates
- Mobile air-defence units like Akashteer
This isn’t just a prototype. It’s a battlefield-ready radar, built in India, for India’s defence.
DRDO Photonic Radar Trials and Deployment Plan (2025–2027)
With the Site Acceptance Test (SAT) cleared in August 2025, DRDO’s photonic radar now enters full-scale trials. Testing will cover Himalayan heights, coastal regions, and contested areas near the LAC and LoC.
The Su-30MKI is expected to be the first platform to carry it, followed by naval destroyers and Akashteer batteries. If milestones are cleared, induction into frontline service could begin by 2027.”
India’s Photonic Radar vs the US, China, Israel, and South Korea
1. How Does It Compare to the US Photonic Radar Programs?
- US → DARPA/Raytheon focus on space & hypersonics, but too bulky for jets.
- China → boasts 600 km range on paper, but no field-tested system.
- South Korea → AI-radar fusion, but only for small urban drones.
- Israel → leader in AESA, but no public photonic radar trials.
- India → already trial-ready, compact, fully indigenous, ahead of most.
2. How Does It Stack Up Against South Korea’s AI-Powered Radar?
South Korea’s ADD showcased an AI-powered photonic radar in 2025, demonstrating real-world small drone detection. Their focus is more on urban air defence.
3. Is China Ahead in Photonic Radar Technology?
Chinese programs claim simulation-based hypersonic missile tracking at ranges up to 600 km, but no field-deployed system is confirmed.
4. What Is Israel’s Status in Photonic Radar Development?
Israel leads in AESA radar (e.g. Iron Dome’s ELM-2084) and is exploring photonic radar, but hasn’t publicly trialled it yet.
5. What Makes India’s Photonic Radar Stand Out Globally?
What makes India’s photonic radar unique is its readiness for field trials, versatility across different platforms, and completely indigenous design with no dependence on foreign components.
Why Photonic Radar Matters for India’s Air Defence Strategy
With China pushing quantum radar and the US investing in DARPA projects, India’s entry comes at the right time. It strengthens deterrence along the India-China border, enhances surveillance in the Indo-Pacific, and ensures our radar network can survive the electronic warfare battles of the future.
1. How Will It Strengthen National Security?
By enabling precise detection of stealth aircraft, low-RCS drones, and hypersonic missiles, this radar fills a critical gap in India’s air defence network. It enhances India’s ability to monitor and respond to threats along sensitive borders like the LAC and LoC, and in strategic regions such as the Indian Ocean.
2. How Does It Advance Aatmanirbhar Bharat?
As a fully indigenous radar system, it reduces India’s dependence on imported technology for vital defence needs. The project strengthens India’s position as a defence technology innovator and supports the domestic manufacturing ecosystem, including photonics and semiconductor sectors.
3. Why Is It Future-Ready for Modern Warfare?
India’s photonic radar is designed to meet the demands of future warfare, where stealth, hypersonic threats, and electronic attacks will define combat. Its anti-jamming capability and multi-domain adaptability make it a key component of India’s long-term defence modernisation plans.
What Are the Challenges and Next Steps?
1. What Challenges Need to Be Overcome?
While the DRDO photonic radar is a breakthrough, a few challenges remain before it can be widely deployed:
- Scaling up indigenous photonic chip production
India needs to build up its capacity to mass-produce photonic integrated circuits. Strengthening local manufacturing will ensure cost control and reduce import reliance. - Integration with legacy platforms
Adapting the radar to work seamlessly with existing aircraft, naval ships, and air defence systems will require careful testing and custom interfaces. - Miniaturisation for broader deployment
To fit on smaller platforms like UAVs or mobile air defence units, the radar will need to be made even more compact without losing capability.
2. How Is DRDO Addressing These Challenges?
DRDO, with support from the Technology Development Fund (TDF) and industry partners, is already working to address these challenges. With sustained focus, the photonic radar could move from prototype to frontline use within the next few years.
Civilian and Dual-Use Potential
The technology behind India’s first photonic radar could also serve civilian needs:
- Disaster relief- heartbeat detection under rubble, as seen during NATO’s 2023 Turkey earthquake ops.
- Healthcare- EU hospitals are already testing non-contact patient monitoring.
- Smart tech- could power gesture controls in cars and devices.
Frequently Asked Questions About DRDO’s Photonic Radar
- What makes DRDO’s photonic radar better than AESA radar?
With broader bandwidth, higher resolution, and robust anti-jamming features, DRDO’s radar excels at detecting stealth targets. - When will India’s photonic radar enter service?
Field trials start in late 2025. Operational induction depends on successful trials, integration, and production readiness, likely within 2–3 years. - Can photonic radar detect hypersonic missiles?
Yes, it’s designed with ultra-wide bandwidth and fine resolution to follow fast-moving, low-signature hypersonic threats.
Final Thoughts on DRDO’s Photonic Radar
The DRDO photonic radar marks the beginning of a new era in India’s defence journey. It is more than optics and circuits; it is a statement of intent. It tells the world: India can see the unseen, track the untrackable, and protect its skies with unwavering confidence.
As trials begin in late 2025, this system won’t just guard against stealth jets and hypersonic missiles; it will symbolise India’s readiness for the future of electronic warfare and strengthen our position across the Indo-Pacific. To me, this radar is not just technology; it is India’s assurance that our watchful eye will never blink.
Stay tuned to DefenceNewsIndia for detailed updates on trials, integration, and future deployments of DRDO’s photonic radar. Follow us for more on India’s defence innovations!