---
title: "Aviation Research Centre (ARC): India's Air Intel"
description: "The Aviation Research Centre (ARC) is India's aerial reconnaissance agency under R&AW, crucial for intelligence gathering and national security."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/aviation-research-centre"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The Aviation Research Centre is India's specialised aerial reconnaissance and signals-intelligence agency, functioning as the airborne wing of the Research and Analysis Wing.
- Is the Aviation Research Centre part of the Indian Air Force?
- How does ARC differ from the NTRO?
- Under what legal authority does ARC operate?
- Why was ARC created in 1962?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

The Aviation Research Centre is India's specialised aerial reconnaissance and signals-intelligence agency, functioning as the airborne wing of the Research and Analysis Wing.

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During the 1999 Kargil conflict, Aviation Research Centre reconnaissance platforms contributed aerial imagery of Pakistani intrusions across the Line of Control in the Drass-Kargil sector, supplementing Indian Air Force and Army surveillance.

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