The Indian Army has recently initiated ‘Project Akashteer’ to enhance its air defence capabilities. The project aims to provide an unprecedented level of situational awareness and control for the army to ensure the safety of friendly aircraft and engage hostile aircraft in contested airspace. The project involves the induction of control and reporting systems called ‘Akashteer Control and Reporting Systems’. These systems automate air defence control and reporting processes by digitizing them. Developed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) as part of the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, ‘Akashteer’ is designed to integrate radar and communication systems at all levels into a unified network. This integration will deliver an unprecedented level of situational awareness and control, enabling swift engagement of hostile targets, reducing the risk of fratricide, and ensuring the safety of friendly aircraft in contested airspace. ‘Akashteer’ emphasizes mobility and resilience with vehicle-based and mobile control centers that can operate in challenging communication environments. The induction of these systems has commenced in the Indian Army’s Corps of Army Air Defence, marking a significant step towards enhancing India’s defence capabilities and technology absorption. In line with this, the Indian Army has declared 2024 as the ‘Year of Technology Absorption’ and is undertaking various initiatives to incorporate niche technology and systems into its inventory. Additionally, the Army is exploring the feasibility of creating a tailor-made organization to function as an adversarial force for realistic war-gaming and training to enhance its combat prowess in dealing with future security challenges.