Indian Army Establishes Electronic Warfare Brigades to Bolster Border Defense
The Indian Army is making significant strides in modernizing its battlefield capabilities by establishing dedicated Electronic Warfare (EW) Brigades along its borders with Pakistan and China. These new units will focus on intercepting, tracking, and jamming enemy communications, radar systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), thereby bolstering India's control over the electromagnetic spectrum in potential future conflicts.
These specialized brigades will be strategically positioned along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and the Line of Control (LoC) as well as the international border with Pakistan. Their main objective will be to identify, disrupt, and neutralize enemy assets ahead of conventional military operations.
Major Shift in Army's Operational Strategy
Currently, electronic warfare activities in the Indian Army are managed by specialized Signals units. The reorganization will consolidate these functions into dedicated EW Brigades that are capable of executing electronic attacks, signal intelligence, and spectrum control missions across designated sectors.
This initiative is part of a broader technology-driven restructuring program initiated after Operation Sindoor in May 2025. The modernization aims to create agile, technology-enabled forces adept at operating in future battlefields increasingly defined by drones, network-centric warfare, and electronic combat.
According to military sources, the new brigades are expected to provide crucial real-time intelligence to artillery, air defense, and strike formations, facilitating the rapid engagement of enemy UAVs, aircraft, and other critical targets.
Advanced Indigenous Systems to Power EW Brigades
To bolster the Army's electronic warfare capabilities, the Ministry of Defence is investing heavily in indigenous technology.
In October 2025, the Defence Acquisition Council sanctioned a ₹5,150 crore project to enhance the indigenous Dharashakti Electronic Warfare System, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by a consortium led by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in partnership with private sector firms such as Larsen & Toubro.
This advanced system displayed its capabilities during a joint Indian Army-Indian Air Force exercise in September 2025, successfully detecting, analyzing, and neutralizing UAV threats at distances up to 150 kilometers while providing real-time threat analysis and electronic jamming support.
Additionally, the Ministry of Defence has contracted Bharat Electronics Limited for ₹1,476 crore to procure five advanced mobile ground-based electronic warfare systems. These mobile platforms are designed to operate alongside combat units, offering electronic warfare support in challenging environments, including high-altitude areas along the LAC.
Lessons from Modern Warfare
The move underscores the increasing significance of electronic warfare in contemporary military operations. Recent global conflicts have shown that control of the electromagnetic spectrum can significantly influence the outcomes of battles on land, sea, and air.
Electronic warfare systems have the capability to intercept radio communications, trace radar emissions, disrupt enemy command-and-control networks, and jam navigation and communication systems used by drones and guided weapons.
The proposed EW Brigades will continually monitor radio, radar, and digital emissions across operational areas, building comprehensive databases of enemy electronic signatures. In times of conflict, this data can precisely locate, identify, and target adversary military assets.
Strengthening Multi-Domain Operations
The creation of dedicated Electronic Warfare Brigades represents a pivotal evolution in the Indian Army's approach to multi-domain operations, integrating cyber, electronic, information, and conventional warfare capabilities within a unified operational framework.
As reliance on drones, precision-guided weapons, networked sensors, and digital communication systems increases, the Army considers electronic warfare a crucial aspect of future combat readiness.
The new brigades are anticipated to enhance India's capacity to counter emerging threats and strengthen deterrence along both the northern and western fronts, ensuring the Army is prepared for the technology-driven battlefields of the future.
