India Builds Real-Time Kill Chain with DRDO-Backed I-STAR Fleet
The procurement of these three I-STAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) platforms for the Indian Air Force (IAF) is expected to cost approximately US$1.2 billion (RM5.28 billion).
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — India’s Ministry of Defence is reportedly finalising the acquisition of three specially configured aircraft designed for high-end missions involving intelligence gathering, surveillance, and target acquisition in support of its air force’s evolving operational requirements.
The procurement of these three I-STAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) platforms for the Indian Air Force (IAF) is expected to cost approximately US$1.2 billion (RM5.28 billion).
The aircraft will be tasked with precision intelligence gathering on critical enemy targets such as radar installations, air defence systems, mobile missile launchers, and other high-value assets on the ground.
Accurate, near-real-time data relayed by these I-STAR platforms will significantly enhance the Indian Air Force’s ability to conduct precision stand-off strikes using long-range air-launched weapons without the need to enter contested airspace.
The I-STAR acquisition project—currently under final deliberation—is expected to receive formal approval from the Indian Ministry of Defence by the end of the month, paving the way for India’s entry into a select group of nations equipped with multi-domain, network-enabled airborne battle management platforms.
Unlike conventional surveillance aircraft, the I-STAR represents a fully integrated airborne command and control system capable of aggregating, processing, and distributing real-time battlefield intelligence across air, land, and sea domains.
The platform integrates a suite of cutting-edge sensor technologies, including high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) radars, enabling it to track dynamic ground targets such as armoured columns or mobile missile batteries in all weather conditions, day or night.
In addition to radar surveillance, the aircraft will be outfitted with Electro-Optical/Infra-Red (EO/IR) systems for long-range visual and thermal reconnaissance, allowing for covert observation from stand-off distances.
Its strategic potency is further enhanced by the inclusion of electronic intelligence systems, including SIGINT (Signal Intelligence), ELINT (Electronic Intelligence), and COMINT (Communications Intelligence), which allow it to intercept, classify, and analyse enemy communications and radar emissions with high precision.
Real-time onboard processing, supported by artificial intelligence (AI) engines, ensures rapid conversion of raw data into actionable battlefield insights, which can then be distributed to combat aircraft, artillery units, and ground formations for immediate and coordinated action.
Through secure, high-bandwidth data links, I-STAR platforms serve as critical nodes in India’s emerging network-centric warfare architecture, providing seamless integration across joint military operations spanning air, land, maritime, and cyber domains.
Globally, notable I-STAR platforms include the E-8C JSTARS (United States), which is used to track ground force movements and missile deployments; the Shadow R1 Sentinel (United Kingdom), a strategic surveillance aircraft operated by the Royal Air Force; and the MARS2 ELI-3150 (Israel), a multi-mission airborne intelligence platform developed by Elta Systems and based on the Gulfstream G550 executive jet.
With battlefields becoming increasingly data-centric, the I-STAR represents a critical asset in modern military operations—whether in large-scale conventional wars or asymmetric conflicts.
Countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, and now India are investing heavily in these platforms to secure dominance in the electromagnetic and information domains—widely considered decisive arenas in 21st-century warfare.
India’s acquisition of three I-STAR aircraft marks a strategic shift in its defence doctrine, prioritising real-time intelligence, persistent surveillance, and seamless target acquisition to maintain superiority in increasingly complex regional threat environments.
The platform’s combination of SAR, GMTI, EO/IR sensors, SIGINT/ELINT/COMINT capabilities, and AI-enabled data fusion gives it unmatched situational awareness and targeting precision across vast and contested theatres of operation.
In the regional context, these aircraft will play a critical role in monitoring Chinese military activity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)—including air defence deployments such as HQ-9 batteries, missile relocations, and infrastructure developments in Tibet—and in surveilling Pakistan’s western frontier, including the movement of strategic systems like the Nasr and Shaheen missiles.
With its deep SIGINT and COMINT capabilities, the I-STAR can also intercept enemy communications and radar signals, enabling the Indian military to map, jam, and neutralise hostile command-and-control networks during pre-emptive or retaliatory operations.
Perhaps the I-STAR’s most valuable function lies in its role as a mission coordinator for long-range precision strikes.
By fusing real-time reconnaissance data and generating accurate target coordinates, it can guide stand-off weapons such as BrahMos cruise missiles, SCALP, and Spice-2000 precision-guided munitions to their intended targets with surgical accuracy—all without breaching adversary airspace.
In the event of a high-intensity conflict, the three I-STAR aircraft will form the backbone of India’s strategic airborne surveillance and targeting architecture—linking inputs from reconnaissance satellites, drones, ground radars, and combat units into a unified battlefield picture that enhances decision-making across all levels of command.
Beyond conventional scenarios, the I-STAR’s persistent surveillance capabilities also make it invaluable in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu & Kashmir and the Northeast, where it can detect cross-border infiltration, track militant movements, and relay actionable intelligence to ground forces.
The US$1.2 billion program will reportedly utilise modified Gulfstream G550 or Bombardier Global 6000 business jets as platforms, to be equipped with indigenously developed sensors and intelligence systems by DRDO in collaboration with global defence partners like Raytheon and Israel’s Elta Systems.
