Army inks deal to procure 1st indigenously designed Software Defined Radios for secured communication

Equipped with high data rates and Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) capabilities, the advanced SDRs will provide secure, real-time communication and enhance the Army’s operational readiness in network-centric and information-intensive battlefields

The Indian Army has signed a contract to procure its first indigenously designed and manufactured Software Defined Radios (SDRs), developed by the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL).

Equipped with high data rates and Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) capabilities, the advanced SDRs will provide secure, real-time communication and enhance the Army’s operational readiness in network-centric and information-intensive battlefields.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Army said, “Indian Army has signed a contract for the procurement of its first indigenously designed and manufactured Software Defined Radios (SDR), developed by DRDO and produced by BEL. Equipped with high data rates and MANET capabilities, these SDRs will significantly enhance secure, real-time communication and strengthen operational readiness.”

The procurement follows the DRDO’s recent rollout of the Indian Radio Software Architecture (IRSA) Standard 1.0, a national software framework for military communication interoperability. The IRSA standard—developed in collaboration with the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) and the Tri-Services—was unveiled during a national workshop at DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi, on October 6, 2025.

Standardised interfaces

IRSA defines standardised interfaces, APIs, execution environments, and waveform portability mechanisms, ensuring interoperability, certification, and conformance across all SDR systems used by the Armed Forces. The standard is also designed to evolve with future operational requirements, laying the foundation for integrating emerging communication technologies.

The IRSA initiative began in 2021, when the growing importance of SDRs in modern military communication was recognised. A core team led by DRDO, with inputs from IDS and the three Services, initiated work in 2022 to capture operational and user needs. After multiple stakeholder consultations, IRSA Version 1.0 was approved in 2025 by the High-Level Advisory Committee (HLAC), becoming India’s first national specification for SDR software architecture.

Published on October 28, 2025