The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to procure the Improved Low Level Light Weight Radar (LLLR-I) for the Indian Army at a cost of nearly ₹770 crore. The agreement was signed in New Delhi on 21 October 2026 in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, the Ministry said in a statement.
What the ministry says the radar will do
According to the Ministry of Defence, the LLLR(I) system is capable of detecting and tracking fighter-size targets as well as mini and micro drones. The statement added that the radar includes an additional capability of prioritising aerial targets, a feature that the Ministry characterised as critical to countering threats posed by Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).
- Buyer: Ministry of Defence (Indian Army requirement)
- Supplier: Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)
- System: Improved Low Level Light Weight Radar (LLLR-I)
- Contract value: nearly ₹770 crore
- Signing date: 21 October 2026 (New Delhi)
The Ministry stated that the LLLR(I) will strengthen the Army’s ability to respond to low-altitude aerial threats and will enable more effective defence against UAS. It described the procurement as aligned with the government’s Viksit Bharat @2047 vision and said the purchase supports the indigenisation of air-defence platforms while bolstering India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem.
| Feature | As stated by MoD |
|---|---|
| Detection capability | Fighter-size targets, mini and micro drones |
| Special capability | Prioritisation of aerial targets |
| Strategic objective | Indigenisation and resilient defence industry |
The Ministry framed the contract as a “significant step towards indigenisation of Air Defence platforms” and said it will give a boost to a “resilient, self-reliant and globally competitive Defence Industry.” The announcement did not provide a delivery schedule or numbers of systems to be supplied; those details were not included in the Ministry statement.
BEL is India’s state-owned defence electronics firm and a frequent supplier of radars and electronic systems to the armed forces. The MoD’s description emphasised counter-UAS tasks—detecting, tracking and prioritising a spectrum of aerial threats at low altitude—as the primary operational role for the LLLR(I).
The contract forms part of ongoing efforts by the defence establishment to upgrade air-defence capabilities at short and very-short ranges and to indigenise key technologies. The Ministry presented the procurement as supporting broader policy goals on domestic production and capability development laid out under Viksit Bharat @2047.
