Bharat Electronics shares fall over 2% despite Rs 770-crore radar deal

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the LLLR-I system can detect and track fighter-size targets and mini and micro drones, with the additional capability of prioritising aerial targets. This will enable the Army to counter threats from unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The LLLR-I is an upgraded version of the Aslesha radar, designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO) Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) and produced by BEL.

While the Aslesha is an S-band 3D radar with a semi-active array antenna, the upgraded system uses four fixed phased-array panels based on gallium nitride (GaN) active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology to provide 360-degree coverage without moving parts. Digital beam-forming and 3D processing allow the radar to detect small drones with a low radar cross-section (RCS). It can track targets while scanning and feed data to weapon systems through wired and wireless links.

The system is man-portable and can be deployed in the plains, deserts and high-altitude areas. Low-level radars act as gap-fillers in the larger air defence network, covering low altitudes where long-range radars are constrained by terrain and the earth's curvature. This is the airspace exploited by drones. The Army has sought radars capable of detecting targets with an RCS as small as 0.001 square metre, equivalent to that of a micro drone.

The need was underscored during Operation Sindoor, when Pakistan launched waves of drones, including Turkish and Chinese-origin systems, towards military and civilian locations along the western front during the four-day hostilities. A large number of these drones were shot down by Army air defence units. The MoD said the procurement is "a significant step towards indigenisation of air defence platforms" and would also boost the domestic defence manufacturing ecosystem, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

In a separate exchange filing, BEL said it had secured additional orders worth Rs 1,011 crore since its last disclosure on October 13, 2026. "Navratna Defence Public Sector Undertaking, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), has secured additional orders worth Rs. 1011 Cr since the last disclosure on 13th October 2026. Major orders received include Improved Low Level Light weight Radar, communication equipment, sonar, jammer, upgrade, spares, services etc," the company said.