IAF Opens Registration for Mehar Baba Competition‑3 on Drone Surveillance Radars (27 Apr 2026)

<h2>IAF Launches Mehar Baba Competition‑3 (MBC‑3)</h2> <p>The <span class="key-term" data-definition="Indian Air Force — the aerial branch of the Indian Armed Forces responsible for defending Indian airspace and supporting national security objectives (GS1: Defence)">Indian Air Force</span> (IAF) has opened registration for the third edition of the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Mehar Baba Competition — an IAF‑initiated contest to foster indigenous development of niche aviation technologies, named after Air Commodore Mehar Singh (MBC) (GS1: History, GS2: Polity)">Mehar Baba Competition</span> (MBC‑3). The theme this year is <span class="key-term" data-definition="Collaborative Drone‑Based Surveillance Radars — a system where multiple drones work together to act as an airborne radar, detecting and tracking aerial targets in contested airspace (GS3: Technology)">Collaborative Drone‑Based Surveillance Radars</span>. Registration starts on <strong>27 Apr 2026</strong> and will run for a limited period.</p> <h3>Key Developments</h3> <ul> <li>Launch of MBC‑3 with a focus on <span class="key-term" data-definition="Unmanned Aerial Systems — aircraft without a human pilot onboard, used for surveillance, reconnaissance and combat roles (GS3: Technology)">UAS</span> swarm‑radar integration.</li> <li>Funding and awards for meritorious participants; top three winners receive cash prizes and development support from the IAF.</li> <li>Open invitation to Indian industries, start‑ups, academic institutions and research establishments.</li> <li>Full competition details available in the ‘Vision Document’ on the official IAF website.</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts</h3> <p>The competition was first announced by the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Raksha Rajya Mantri — the Union Minister of Defence, responsible for policy formulation and implementation in the defence sector (GS2: Polity)">Raksha Rajya Mantri</span>, Shri Sanjay Seth, at Aero India 2025. MBC‑3 aims to develop a proof‑of‑concept for a collaborative swarm of <span class="key-term" data-definition="Swarm drones — multiple autonomous drones that coordinate their actions to achieve a common mission, enhancing coverage and resilience (GS3: Technology)">swarm drones</span> that function as an airborne radar, capable of detecting, tracking and reporting aerial targets in a contested environment, and relaying precise location data to a central monitoring station.</p> <p>Since its inception in <strong>2018</strong>, the competition has generated orders worth approximately <strong>Rs. 2000 Crores</strong> for the unmanned systems industry. The first two editions dealt with humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and foreign‑object debris detection on aircraft surfaces, receiving strong responses from industry, start‑ups and academia.</p> <h3>UPSC Relevance</h3> <p>Understanding MBC‑3 helps aspirants grasp the nexus between defence policy, indigenous technology development, and the ‘Make in India’ drive. It illustrates how the Ministry of Defence leverages public‑private partnerships to accelerate innovation in critical sectors (GS3: Defence Production). The competition also showcases the role of strategic leadership (GS2: Polity) in shaping defence R&D priorities.</p> <h3>Way Forward</h3> <p>Stakeholders are encouraged to submit proposals before the deadline, aligning their projects with the competition’s objectives of autonomous swarm coordination and radar integration. Successful participants will not only receive financial backing but also gain access to IAF testing facilities, potentially leading to larger contracts and contributing to India’s self‑reliance in defence technology.</p>