IIT-K Launches Analakshya Metamaterial Surface Cloaking System for Defense Applications
The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) announced on November 26 the launch of the Metamaterial Surface Cloaking System (Analakshya MSCS). Developed by a team of leading researchers, this innovative system sets a new benchmark in multispectral stealth capabilities, offering transformative applications in defence, national security, and specialised industries.
The Analakshya MSCS is designed to revolutionise stealth technology for defence and security applications. By offering near-perfect wave absorption across a broad spectrum, it significantly enhances the ability to counter Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging and will also give effective protection from missiles that use radar guidance. Tailored for modern warfare, this cutting-edge innovation strengthens operational capabilities, providing India’s armed forces with advanced tools to maintain strategic superiority and ensure national security.
Its advanced design is tailored for operational imperatives, making it a crucial asset in modern warfare and surveillance. The technology underwent extensive laboratory and field testing between 2019 and 2024, proving its efficacy across diverse conditions.
The Analakshya MSCS sourced over 90 per cent of its material indigenously. In a move towards industrial production, the technology has been licensed to Meta Tattva Systems Pvt. Ltd which will oversee its manufacturing and deployment. The system is currently under acquisition by the Indian armed forces.
The Analakshya MSCS has collectively been developed by Prof. Anantha Ramakrishna (department of physics), Prof. Kumar Vaibhav Srivastava (department of electrical engineering) and Prof. J. Ramkumar (department of mechanical engineering) along with their team of students, comprising Gagandeep Singh, Kajal Chowdhary, and Abhinav Bhardwaj, among others. Congratulating the team, director of IIT Kanpur Prof. Manindra Agrawal said, “We hope this innovation will significantly impact the positioning of our defence forces. I am confident that IIT Kanpur will lead in many more such technologies emerging for the defence sector.”
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit said, “This revolutionary camouflage technology represents a bold leap forward in countering one of the greatest operational challenges militaries face today: the pervasive and precise reach of modern intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems. I commend the team of professors, researchers, and students who have demonstrated remarkable resourcefulness and dedication, developing a full-fledged product with very little support and funding. This achievement is not just a product, it is a symbol of what is possible when science serves the mission of national defence.”
Air Marshal Rajesh Kumar added, “The launch of this technology is a critical milestone because the future uses of this material are already visible on battlefields in conflicts around the world. In technologically contested environments, we have seen how battlefield transparency slows down progress of operations. It is a source of pride that this technology is leading in the world.”
Lt Gen. Cherish Mathson said, “When we realised in 2019 that the biggest threat to military movements is Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), it was unbeknownst to us that this ground-breaking invention had already been developed at IITK. I congratulate them for their remarkable foresight.”
The unveiling ceremony of Analakshya MSCS was attended by Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Air Command, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit as the chief guest and Lt. Gen. Cherish Mathson and Air Marshal Rajesh Kumar as the Guests of Honor.