DRDO launches IRSA Standard 1.0 to boost interoperability in military communication

New Delhi: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) and the Tri-Services, has released the Indian Radio Software Architecture (IRSA) Standard 1.0, marking a significant milestone in India’s pursuit of self-reliance and technological advancement in defence communication systems.

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The standard has been formally launched during a national workshop held on October 6, 2025, at DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi. The event was graced by Dr Samir V Kamat, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO, as the Chief Guest, and Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, along with Dr Rajat Moona, Director, IIT Gandhinagar, as Guests of Honour. The workshop was organised under the guidance of Dr BK Das, Director General (ECS), DRDO.

IRSA is a comprehensive software specification for Software Defined Radios (SDRs) that defines standardized interfaces, APIs, execution environments, and waveform portability mechanisms. It aims to ensure waveform portability, SDR interoperability, certification, and conformance across the armed forces, thereby enabling seamless communication among different platforms and services.

According to DRDO, the launch of IRSA represents a defining step in India’s journey toward building indigenous, interoperable, and future-ready defence communication technologies — designed in India, for India, and ready for the world. The specification has been developed to evolve in line with changing operational requirements and will serve as a foundation for integrating emerging technologies in the future.

The national workshop provided insights into the evolution of IRSA, its technical framework, and future roadmap. It also served as a platform for the Indian Armed Forces, Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), industry, academia, and research institutions to discuss collaboration opportunities, pilot projects, and strategies for adoption.

The IRSA initiative traces its roots to 2021, when the growing importance of SDRs in modern military communication highlighted the need for a unified national standard. A core technical team led by DRDO initiated work in 2022, engaging with IDS and the Services to capture operational and user requirements. Following extensive consultations and reviews, IRSA Version 1.0 was approved by the High-Level Advisory Committee (HLAC) in 2025, making it India’s first national specification defining a standardized software architecture for SDRs.

With IRSA 1.0, India aims to position itself not only as a leader in secure defence communications but also as a global benchmark for SDR technology, opening pathways for the export of IRSA-compliant solutions to friendly nations.

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