DRDO's critical mission to develop indigenous ejection seat for Tejas

While India is designing its fighter jet Tejas indigenously, manufacturing missiles, and launching satellites into space, it has hitherto had to rely on Britain's Martin-Baker company for the critical ejection seat installed in the Tejas cockpit. According to a report by 'Aaj Tak', an ejection seat is not merely an ordinary chair, but one of the most complex components of an aircraft system. The primary function of this seat is to save the pilot's life during an emergency, whether the aircraft is on the runway or flying at hundreds of kilometres per hour in the sky.

This process is extremely rapid and precise. The seat must perform multiple tasks simultaneously within just 2 to 3 seconds, including breaking the canopy, ejecting the pilot away from the aircraft's tail via rocket, maintaining the seat's balance, and finally deploying the parachute. During this process, the seat must also have the capability to withstand shocks of 12 to 14 G to ensure no damage occurs to the pilot's spine. Martin-Baker company possesses seven decades of experience and has saved more than 7800 lives so far, due to which they hold a dominance in this field.

For India, developing an indigenous seat is not just a matter of pride, but also a security and commercial necessity. According to the report, when India attempted to sell the Tejas aircraft to Argentina, Britain had placed restrictions on its components, which included the Martin-Baker seat. A foreign seat implies that a foreign veto could be applied to whom India sells its aircraft. To resolve this issue, DRDO successfully completed its first high-speed rocket-sledge test at TBRL in Chandigarh in December 2025. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) were also involved in this test.

India now has its own dynamic ejection testing facility available, which is possessed by only a few countries in the world. The parachute used for Tejas is already indigenous, designed by ADRDE and manufactured at the Ordnance Parachute Factory (OPF) in Kanpur. However, for a complete indigenous ejection system, many more dynamic trials, qualifications, and flight tests remain, which could take years.

As per the current plan, Martin-Baker seats will be used in the initial aircraft of Tejas Mark-2 and AMCA. There are preparations to install indigenous seats in subsequent batches. Martin-Baker company will increase local production through a ₹380 crore plant in Karnataka, but the design will still remain theirs. The Air Force supports this endeavour, but they prioritise certified seats due to security reasons. India is now gradually moving towards self-reliance in this complex technology.

DRDO, i.e., Defence Research and Development Organisation, was the premier research and development organisation under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. It was responsible for developing state-of-the-art weapon systems, missiles, and defence technology for the Indian Armed Forces. In the past, this institution played a vital role in making India self-reliant in several strategic sectors.