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India revives Netra Mk-II AWACS after Airbus cost dispute

22nd August 2025 - 16:56 GMT | by Neelam Mathews in New Delhi, India

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An Indian Air Force AWACS aircraft on display at Aero India 2025. (Photo: author)

India has cleared higher retrofit costs for six ageing Airbus A321s to be converted into Netra Mk-II airborne surveillance platforms, marking progress in a long-delayed AWACS programme but raising questions over lifespan and operational value.

India has finally agreed to the increased structural modification costs demanded by Airbus for six aging A321 aircraft earmarked for its Netra Mk-II Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) programme.

The aircraft, originally acquired from Air India by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2021, are now nearly 20 years old and will undergo structural retrofit at Airbus’s facility in Spain once the contract has been signed.

The decision marks a critical step forward for the indigenous Netra Mk-II which aims to bolster India’s airborne surveillance capabilities. After reconfiguration, the airframes will be handed to the Centre for Airborne Systems

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