Technological components of Dharashakti Electronic Warfare System

In a decisive step to strengthen India's modern warfare capabilities, the Ministry of Defence has approved mass production of the Dharashakti Integrated Electronic Warfare (EW) System, a landmark project valued at ₹5,150 crore. The system represents the next generation of battlefield electronic dominance, aimed at neutralising the enemy’s communication, radar, and surveillance networks across varied combat environments.

The Dharashakti EW System is designed to counter electronic threats and shield India’s communication networks from hostile detection, interception, or jamming — a vital capability in 21st-century network-centric warfare. Approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), this system will significantly enhance the Indian Army’s ability to operate seamlessly even in the face of adversarial electronic interference, bolstering both defensive and offensive operations along India’s western and northern borders.

At its core, Dharashakti consists of two major components — Communication (COM) and Non-Communication (Non-COM) segments.

The COM segment focuses on intercepting radio frequencies, decoding signal patterns, and ensuring secure, encrypted military communications across the battlefield. It allows command units to maintain connectivity even when under electronic attack.

The Non-COM segment targets enemy radar installations and sensor arrays, using powerful jammers, signal suppressors, and electronic countermeasures (ECM) to disrupt adversary situational awareness and target acquisition systems.

Together, these functions allow Dharashakti to both detect and dominate the electromagnetic spectrum, providing India with a significant tactical edge.

Dharashakti is optimised for desert and plain terrains, particularly for deployment in the Samaghat and Shatrughat sectors, known for their high-temperature, sandy, and open-field conditions. Its modules are mounted on rugged, all-terrain mobile platforms capable of rapid deployment and extended operation times, ensuring flexibility during both peacetime monitoring and wartime escalation scenarios.

One of Dharashakti’s most advanced features is its integration of an Electro-Optical (EO) suite. This includes high-resolution visual and infrared (IR) sensors that provide real-time battlefield imaging, target recognition, and surveillance. The EO suite allows the system to maintain operational effectiveness in low-visibility conditions, such as night operations, dust storms, or fog, enhancing troop situational awareness and response accuracy.

Beyond electronic jamming, Dharashakti can detect, locate, and neutralise hostile electronic sources, offering the ability to silence enemy radars, disrupt missile guidance systems, and jam communication nodes long before the adversary can react. At the same time, it secures India’s own communications through advanced encryption, shielding them from cyber-electronic intrusion and interception attempts.

Defence experts emphasise that Dharashakti represents a critical superiority gain against Pakistan and China, whose electronic surveillance networks along India’s borders have grown in sophistication. The system’s ability to render enemy radars ineffective and disrupt surveillance signals gives India the capability to blind and confuse adversary forces during conflict, preserving the element of surprise and tactical advantage.

Dharashakti exemplifies India’s drive for self-reliance in defence technology under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with Indian industry partners, the EW system will be produced domestically, supporting indigenous manufacturing and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers for strategic technologies.

Once fully deployed across corps and theatre commands, Dharashakti will become a cornerstone of India’s Network-Centric Operations (NCO) doctrine. Integration with future digital platforms, space-based reconnaissance systems, and tactical command networks will allow real-time coordination between air, land, and electronic assets, forming a multi-domain warfare ecosystem tailored for 21st-century combat.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)