A total of 455 Akashteer units are on order, with deliveries scheduled to be completed by 2027. More than 100 systems have already been fielded across Indian Army formations, while the remaining batches are planned for induction during FY2026 and FY2027.

Akashteer is Bharat Electronics Limited's automated Air Defence Control and Reporting System, developed with inputs from the Defence Research and Development Organisation. The system entered service with the Corps of Army Air Defence in 2024, marking a major step in the Army's network-centric air defence capabilities.

The procurement was formalised through a contract signed with BEL Ghaziabad on 29 March 2023. The agreement was valued at ₹1,982 crore and was accompanied by a separate ₹412 crore contract for the Navy's Sarang Electronic Support Measures system.

Designed to monitor low-level airspace above battle areas, Akashteer serves as the Army's centralised air defence command-and-control network. It detects, tracks and manages aerial threats while directing ground-based air defence weapon systems, improving response times and reducing the risk of fratricide.

A key feature of the system is its integration with the Indian Air Force's Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) and the Navy's Trigun network.

This connectivity allows the Joint Air Defence Centre to access and process radar feeds from the Army, Air Force, Navy and civil aviation sources through a unified operational picture.

The strengthened IACCS-Akashteer network underwent an upgrade and validation exercise on 7 June 2026 during Exercise Josh 2-26, demonstrating enhanced interoperability between India's military air defence networks.

Further expansion of the program is on the horizon. On 27 March 2026, the Defence Acquisition Council cleared a tracked variant of Akashteer, paving the way for a mobile configuration better suited to supporting mechanised and armoured formations in high-mobility battlefield environments.

Agencies