SOURCE: AFI
In a transformative leap for India’s defense capabilities, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has positioned the nation at the forefront of stealth technology with the unveiling of the An?lak?hya Metamaterial Surface Cloaking System (MSCS) in November 2024. Professor Anantha Ramakrishna of IIT Kanpur’s Department of Physics boldly claims that India now leads the world in stealth materials, a testament to the country’s burgeoning prowess in defense innovation.
This cutting-edge technology, coupled with parallel advancements in optically transparent stealth materials, marks a pivotal moment for India’s military strategy. However, as India fortifies its own stealth capabilities, it is equally focused on countering enemy stealth systems, ensuring a robust defense against low-observable threats in an increasingly complex regional security landscape.
The An?lak?hya MSCS, developed by IIT Kanpur, is a textile-based broadband metamaterial microwave absorber designed to render military assets—such as tanks, fighter jets, and naval vessels—nearly invisible to radar. By absorbing over 99% of radar waves across a wide spectrum (2–18 GHz), the system neutralizes synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging, a critical tool used by adversaries for surveillance and targeting. Unlike traditional stealth technologies that rely on angular designs to deflect radar signals, An?lak?hya uses metamaterials to absorb electromagnetic waves, significantly reducing the radar cross-section (RCS) of treated platforms.
Professor Anantha Ramakrishna, a leading figure in this breakthrough, emphasizes that the system’s near-perfect wave absorption sets a new global benchmark. The technology has undergone rigorous laboratory and field testing from 2019 to 2024, proving its efficacy across diverse conditions. In a significant step toward commercialization, IIT Kanpur has licensed An?lak?hya to Meta Tattva Systems, a startup founded by Air Vice Marshal Praveen Bhatt, to oversee industrial production and deployment. This move aligns with India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, with 90% of the system’s components sourced indigenously, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers.
Complementing this, Professor G. Shrikanth Reddy of IIT Mandi has developed optically transparent stealth materials that can be applied to vulnerable components like aircraft canopies, windshields, and sensors. These materials maintain optical clarity while absorbing radar frequencies, addressing a critical weakness in stealth platforms where transparent surfaces often reflect radar waves, betraying their presence. The combination of An?lak?hya and optically transparent materials enhances the survivability of India’s military assets, including the upcoming Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), a fifth-generation stealth fighter under development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
While India advances its own stealth capabilities, it is equally focused on penetrating enemy stealth systems to maintain a strategic edge. The rise of stealth platforms in the region, such as China’s J-20 and J-35A fighters and Pakistan’s potential acquisition of the J-35A, has heightened the urgency for effective counter-stealth measures. India’s approach centers on developing advanced radar systems that exploit the limitations of stealth technology, particularly its reduced effectiveness against very high frequency (VHF) and high-frequency (HF) radars.
In March 2025, Bengaluru-based Alpha Design Technologies delivered the first of six Surya VHF radars to the Indian Air Force (IAF) under a ?200 crore contract. This mobile, solid-state 3D radar system operates in the VHF band (30–300 MHz), using longer wavelengths to detect low-observable targets that evade conventional high-frequency radars. The Surya radar can track stealth aircraft with RCS as low as 0.001 m² at ranges up to 350 km, offering early warning and integration with systems like Akashteer for real-time threat response. Its mobility, mounted on TATA 6×6 high-mobility vehicles, allows rapid deployment across India’s diverse terrains, enhancing operational flexibility.
Another significant advancement is the Anti-Stealth VHF-SR (Very High Frequency-Short Range) surveillance radar, developed collaboratively by DRDO, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), and TATA Advanced Systems Limited (TASL). Now in field trials, this radar boasts a 400-km detection range, can track up to 100 targets simultaneously, and uses gallium nitride (GaN) transmit-receive modules for enhanced signal reception. Its adaptive nulling technology counters enemy electronic warfare, while frequency-hopping and pulse-compression improve resilience against jamming. The radar’s mobility on TATRA vehicles ensures rapid repositioning, critical for dynamic threat environments along India’s borders.
India is also in talks with Russia for the procurement of the Container-S (29B6) over-the-horizon (OTH) radar, which operates in the HF band and can detect stealth targets at ranges exceeding 3,000 km. This bistatic radar uses surface wave technology to monitor airspace and track ballistic missiles, offering a strategic advantage against long-range threats. Discussions for the Voronezh OTH radar further indicate India’s intent to bolster its long-range surveillance capabilities, particularly in response to China’s J-20 and H-20 stealth bomber programs.
India’s dual focus on stealth and counter-stealth technologies reflects a balanced approach to modern warfare. The An?lak?hya MSCS and optically transparent materials provide the Indian armed forces with a tactical edge, enabling platforms like the AMCA, naval vessels, and ground assets to evade enemy radar and SAR imaging. Simultaneously, the Surya VHF and VHF-SR radars address the challenge of detecting stealth platforms, ensuring India can counter the low-observable capabilities of adversaries like China and Pakistan.
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