New Delhi, April 24: The Indian Air Force is advancing modern drone and radar technology. To accelerate this indigenous defense technology, it has launched the ‘Mehar Baba Competition-3’ (MBC-3). Registration for this prestigious competition will begin on April 27, 2026. This initiative is seen as a significant step towards promoting advanced drone and radar technology in the country.
This year’s competition theme is ‘Collaborative Drone-Based Surveillance Radars.’ The event aims to develop cutting-edge systems where multiple unmanned aerial vehicles work together to form an aerial radar network. This drone swarm will not only detect aerial targets but also track them and send their precise locations to a centralized monitoring center in real time. Notably, this technology will be designed to operate effectively in hostile or challenging environments.
This initiative aligns with the requirements of modern warfare. The Air Force states that the primary goal of the Mehar Baba Competition-3 is to develop advanced defense technologies at the indigenous level. It also aims to explore new possibilities for the integrated use of drones and radars, connect industry, startups, and academic institutions with the defense sector, and create smart and cost-effective solutions for future warfare needs. The competition focuses on preparing a proof of concept that can later be transformed into actual military applications.
The Indian Air Force has invited the country’s defense and technology industries, startups, academic institutions, and research and development organizations to participate in this competition. Interested participants can obtain detailed guidelines and technical requirements through the official ‘Vision Document.’ Selected participants will receive financial support from the Indian Air Force for development.
Additionally, the top three performing teams will be awarded attractive prizes and honors. Experts believe that this arrangement not only inspires participants to innovate but also provides them with the opportunity to turn their ideas into real products. The announcement of this competition was made by Defense Minister of State Sanjay Seth during Aero India 2025. The first two editions of the Mehar Baba Competition were also highly successful. The first edition focused on swarm drones for disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, while the second edition was based on drones for identifying unidentified objects or debris on runways. These competitions received tremendous responses from the industry, startups, and academia, leading to the development of a robust ecosystem in unmanned systems and generating orders worth approximately ₹2000 crores. Launched in 2018, the Mehar Baba Competition has become a significant platform for self-reliance in the defense sector, promoting the development of new technologies and establishing coordination between defense users and developers.
The competition is named in honor of the great air warrior and first Mahavir Chakra winner, Air Commodore Mehar Singh, who was known as ‘Mehar Baba.’ He was born in 1915 in Lyallpur (now in Pakistan) and was trained at the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell, in 1934. Due to his exceptional flying skills and leadership, he gained fame at a young age, leading several historic missions under challenging conditions.
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