BENGALURU, — India's defence electronics manufacturer Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) says it can already build more than 1,000 missile seekers annually, combining radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) seekers. The company can scale this capacity by two to three times if orders demand it.
The confirmation came during BEL's Q2 FY27 earnings conference call on November 3, 2026. Chairman and Managing Director Manoj Jain said existing manufacturing infrastructure can support higher production without building entirely new facilities.
Seeker Manufacturing and Missile Programmes
BEL uses its existing radar and infrared sensor manufacturing infrastructure for seeker production. RF seekers share technology with radar systems, while IR seekers are similar to infrared cameras.
Missile seekers account for around 20–30% of a missile's total cost, while electronics contribute approximately 60–70%.
BEL currently manufactures seekers for the Akash (Akash-1S and Akash-NG) and Astra missile programmes. It does not yet supply seekers for BrahMos, but has started developing the required technology.
The company is also working with DRDO on detector development. While BEL has capabilities in signal processing and optics, developing core detector technology remains an important challenge.
IR Facility and QRSAM Preparations
BEL's Industry 4.0-compliant IR seeker facility at Nimmaluru, near Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, was dedicated by the Prime Minister in October 2025. It supports infrared seeker and other electro-optical product manufacturing.
For the QRSAM programme, BEL has started qualification testing and first-of-production-model preparations ahead of the proposed ₹30,000 crore Indian Army contract, which is awaiting final government clearance.
BEL is also the development-cum-production partner for the long-range land-attack cruise missile and Pralay quasi-ballistic missile. Orders for these programmes are expected in the future.
Order Book
BEL's order book stood at ₹68,717 crore as of October 1, 2026. Its FY27 order inflow guidance remains at ₹25,000 crore excluding QRSAM and ₹55,000 crore including QRSAM.
With existing capacity exceeding 1,000 seekers annually and scope for a two-to-three-fold expansion, BEL is positioned to support increasing requirements from India's indigenous missile programmes.
Main Source : multibagg
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