India's DRDO completes maiden test of Kusha air‑defence missile

On 23 July 2026 the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) carried out the inaugural flight‑test of its indigenous Kusha long‑range surface‑to‑air missile (LRSAM) from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast. The missile intercepted an electronic target simulating a high‑speed, high‑altitude aerial threat, demonstrating its ability to engage fighter jets, cruise missiles, UAVs and large enemy aircraft across a wide altitude envelope.

Kusha is being developed under Project Kusha (also called the Extended Range Air‑Defence System – ERADS) and will feature three interceptor variants with ranges of roughly 150 km, 250 km and 350‑400 km. The test brings India into a small group of nations, alongside the United States, Russia, Israel and France, capable of designing and producing long‑range air‑defence missiles. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the flight as a “major milestone” that will cut import dependence and strengthen the country’s layered air‑defence architecture, complementing existing systems such as Barak‑8, Akash and the Russian S‑400. The missile is slated for induction into the Indian armed forces between 2028 and 2030.