The Software Development Institute (SDI) of the Indian Air Force has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras and the IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation for the joint design and development of an indigenous digital communication system for airborne applications, the Ministry of Defence said in a release on 6 November 2026.

Source: Press Information Bureau

The agreement was signed by Air Vice Marshal Sarabjit Singh, Commandant of SDI, and Dr M. J. Shankar Raman, Chief Executive Officer of IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation, in the presence of Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, according to the ministry release.

Source: Press Information Bureau

Through the collaboration, the IAF intends to undertake joint development with IIT Madras and IITM Pravartak on advanced algorithms for communication systems and networking. Reporting on the agreement said a major objective is the secure exchange of voice, data and mission-critical information between aircraft, ground stations and command networks.

Source: Indian Defence News

The indigenous development aims to reduce reliance on imported systems and bolster the operational efficiency of the Indian Air Force, contributing to the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, the ministry said.

What the release does not say

The ministry's release gives no cost, prototype date or induction timeline for the system, and it does not name the aircraft types that would use it first. The IAF's SDI and IIT Madras had also signed a memorandum in December 2025 for work on a similar airborne digital communication system, according to earlier reporting, and the November 6 step is described by the ministry as a Memorandum of Agreement.