India is moving ahead with an indigenous radar upgrade for its Su-30MKI fighter fleet, replacing the aircraft’s ageing Russian-origin radar with the new Virupaksha system.
The radar is being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation as part of the broader Super Sukhoi modernisation programme, which aims to significantly enhance the capabilities of the Su-30MKI without replacing its existing airframe.
The Virupaksha radar is expected to offer substantially improved detection capabilities. According to the report, it could detect conventional fighter-sized aircraft from around 300 to 400 kilometres, while its detection range against stealthier aircraft is expected to exceed 200 kilometres.
Astra Microwave Products is developing the radar’s Active Antenna Array Unit, working alongside DRDO engineers. The unit is expected to use around 2,400 gallium nitride-based transmitting and receiving elements, supporting improved power efficiency and resistance to electronic jamming.
The radar programme is expected to reach completion later this year, although the larger upgrade of the initial batch of 84 Su-30MKIs remains subject to government approval.
The development reflects India’s growing effort to combine foreign-origin platforms with increasingly indigenous sensors, electronics and defence technologies.
