The Indian Ministry of Defence has invited BEL to supply a single indigenous Shakti Electronic Warfare system through a single-vendor procurement process. The proposed acquisition aims to replace the older Ellora Mk-II suite fitted to an Indian Navy vessel. While the ship’s identity remains undisclosed, a Shivalik-class stealth frigate serving in the Eastern Fleet is regarded as a potential platform. Under the proposed arrangement, BEL must deliver the complete equipment suite to the Weapon Equipment Depot at Visakhapatnam within 18 months. The Shakti system, developed by DRDO’s Defence Electronics Research Laboratory, improves naval electronic protection by detecting, analysing, identifying and disrupting radar emissions. Its Electronic Support Measures component covers frequencies between 0.175 GHz and 40 GHz and supports accurate direction finding, radio-frequency fingerprint identification, and signal recording and replay. The Electronic Countermeasures subsystem uses Digital Radio Frequency Memory technology across 6–40 GHz, provides up to 50 kW effective radiated power and can address over eight simultaneous radar threats. This order differs from the February 2024 agreement valued at ₹2,269.54 crore for 11 Shakti suites intended for newer frontline vessels, including Visakhapatnam-class destroyers and Nilgiri-class frigates. The system is already deployed on INS Visakhapatnam and integrated into INS Vikrant. The additional procurement reflects the Navy’s broader transition towards domestically produced electronic warfare equipment and greater self-reliance in naval defence manufacturing.
