Barium lanthanum fluoro tellurite (BLFT) glasses doped with rare earth ions (ErF3, PrF3 and YbF3) both singly or in combinations were prepared by melt-quench technique and analysed spectroscopically. The prepared glasses were found to be mechanically strong and transparent. Optical absorption and NIR fluorescence were measured to the highly transparent and stable glass samples. Judd–Ofelt parameters and radiative properties were estimated for the single rare earth doped BLFT glasses using the optical absorption spectra. NIR fluorescence is measured using laser excitation. From the NIR emission spectra, energy transfer among the rare earth ions is analysed in the rare earth tri-doped BLFT glasses. These rare earth tri-doped BLFT glasses are found to be highly useful for the multi- wavelength emission in the NIR region for opto-electronic applications.