Modern warfare is increasingly fought across the electromagnetic spectrum, with electronic warfare (EW) capabilities determining whether a force can communicate, navigate, and target effectively while denying those same capabilities to an adversary. India's EW modernisation has been a consistent priority in the defence budget, but the pace of technology development and integration has not always matched the evolving threat. The Bharat Defence Tech Show has provided a critical forum for honest assessment of India's EW readiness and the steps needed to achieve electromagnetic superiority.
India's EW ecosystem, anchored by BEL's Electronic Warfare Systems business unit and DRDO's Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) and Defence Electronics Applications Laboratory (DEAL), has made significant strides in developing indigenous EW suites for the Indian Army's armoured formations, the Indian Air Force's combat aircraft, and the Indian Navy's surface ships and submarines. BDTS sessions have examined the integration challenges involved in fielding these systems at scale and the logistical support structures required to maintain EW effectiveness in operational environments.
The convergence of EW and cyber warfare — sometimes termed "electromagnetic cyberspace" — has been a forward-looking theme at BDTS. As modern weapons systems increasingly rely on software-defined architectures, the boundary between electronic jamming and cyber attack is blurring. India's armed forces need EW professionals who can operate confidently across both domains, and BDTS has hosted discussions on the training and doctrine development needed to build this hybrid capability.
Private sector companies at BDTS have showcased advanced software-defined radio platforms that can be rapidly reprogrammed to respond to new threats, AI-enabled spectrum monitoring systems that automatically identify and characterise electromagnetic emitters, and miniaturised EW pods suitable for integration with India's growing inventory of military UAVs.
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