India advances indigenous air defence with Kusha and Akash missile milestones

India has achieved a significant milestone in its domestic air defence capabilities with the first successful flight-test of the Kusha missile system, also known as the Extended Range Air Defence System (ERADS). Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Air Force, the mobile, truck-mounted system is designed to defend large areas against fighter aircraft, stealth combat aircraft, ballistic missiles, and anti-ship missiles.

The Kusha system utilizes a three-interceptor architecture: the M1 for ranges up to 150 km, the M2 for 250 km, and the M3 for up to 400 km. Once operational, it will serve as a central component of India’s multi-layered national air defence shield, complementing existing systems like the S-400 and Barak-8.

Separately, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh highlighted the Akash Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system as a major success in India’s pursuit of military self-reliance. The Akash system has entered a stable production phase and is seeing growing international interest. Following an initial deal with Armenia, countries including Tajikistan and Turkmenistan have emerged as buyers, marking an expansion of Indian defence exports into markets traditionally dominated by Russian technology.