The Indian Air Force (IAF) Thursday got its first "eye-in-the-sky" with the induction of the first of the three airborne early warning and control systems (AWACS) which will help it detect incoming flying weapons and listen-in to aerial communications.

Defence minister A.K. Antony formally inducted the giant IL-76 aircraft, configured in its new avatar, at the Palam Air Base in the national capital.

"For the real time control of combat assets we require real time intelligence which will be provided by the AWACS. The AWACS will form and important part of command and control system and for increasing the transparency of the battlefield," IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major told reporters.