Scale models of Project Kusha Air Defence System with 3 different SAMs ranges 120-350 Km. Mach 5.5, IR+RF seeker, consisting of special Kill Vehicle was displayed at the Aero India 2025

The April 22, 2025, terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 civilian lives, has sharply escalated tensions between India and Pakistan, reigniting fears of a broader military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

In the days following the attack, the Line of Control (LoC) has witnessed relentless small-arms exchanges for over ten consecutive nights, while both countries have engaged in a series of diplomatic expulsions, border closures, and the suspension of longstanding agreements, such as the Indus Waters Treaty and the Simla Agreement. The United Nations Security Council has convened to address the crisis, highlighting the gravity of the situation.

Evolving Threats And The Imperative For Advanced Air Defence

The current stand-off is marked not only by heightened military posturing but also by a significant transformation in India’s air defence doctrine. With both China and Pakistan upgrading their offensive capabilities, India is re-evaluating how best to safeguard its vast and diverse airspace. While the possibility of full-scale war remains uncertain, the spectrum of potential conflict-from limited skirmishes to broader conventional warfare-places air defence at the core of India’s strategic calculus.

Indigenous Focus: Moving Beyond Iron Dome

India’s air defence evolution is shaped by lessons from global conflicts, particularly Israel’s experience with the Iron Dome. While initially considered, India ultimately refrained from acquiring the Iron Dome system, citing its limitations in addressing India’s unique threat environment and instead prioritizing indigenous solutions such as the Prithvi Air Defence (PAD), Advanced Air Defence (AAD), and Akash missile systems. Indian defence officials have consistently emphasized the need for self-reliant and context-specific systems, given the country’s expansive geography and the complexity of threats it faces.

Multi-Layered Shield: Integration of Indigenous And Imported Systems

India’s current air defence strategy is characterized by a multi-layered approach, blending home-grown and imported technologies:

PAD And AAD: These indigenous systems provide interception capabilities at high and low altitudes, respectively.

India’s Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) system is a high-altitude, Exo-atmospheric interceptor designed to counter incoming ballistic missiles, primarily those with ranges up to 2,000–3,000 km and speeds up to Mach 5. It forms the first layer of India’s two-tiered ballistic missile defence (BMD) shield, with the Advanced Air Defence (AAD) system covering lower-altitude threats.

PAD is specifically engineered to intercept medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles during their mid-course phase, outside the atmosphere at altitudes of 50–80 km. Its two-stage configuration (solid-fuel first stage, liquid-fuel second stage) and advanced guidance (inertial navigation, mid-course radar updates, terminal active radar homing) enable it to engage fast, high-altitude targets.PAD is highly effective against traditional ballistic missile threats, providing India with a credible Exo-atmospheric interception capability.

India’s Advanced Air Defence (AAD) system, part of its two-tier ballistic missile defence (BMD) network, is designed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles at lower altitudes (Endo-atmospheric, up to 30 km). Successfully tested against modified Prithvi ballistic missiles in 2016, 2017, and 2018, demonstrating mid-air kinetic-kill precision.

Uses a single-stage solid-fuelled interceptor with active radar homing and inertial guidance for terminal-phase accuracy. Works alongside the Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) for high-altitude interception and networks with radars like Rajendra and long-range tracking systems (e.g., Voronezh radar) for early threat detection.

Complements other systems like Akash (for cruise missiles/drones) and S-400 to create a layered defence.

Primarily targets short-to-medium-range ballistic missiles (up to 2,000 km). Modern threats like MIRV-equipped missiles (e.g., Pakistan’s Ababeel, which anyways does not seem to be a credible system, rather than it is a product of Pak's fake posturing/bluster positioning) or hypersonic glide vehicles may challenge its current capabilities.

Phase-II interceptors (AD-1/AD-2) are under development to counter intermediate-range and ICBMs.

The AAD missile has been tested from a canister for the first time, enhancing mobility, readiness, and protection against environmental factors. The missile now carries a larger warhead and features improved manoeuvrability, increasing its ability to destroy incoming threats with greater reliability and reduced miss-distance.

Engineering refinements have minimised the distance by which the interceptor might miss its target, improving precision. The system now uses a mobile launcher system (AAD MLS) on a 12×12 truck chassis, capable of carrying and launching multiple missiles in single or salvo mode, with dual redundant communication links for robust command and control.

Recent tests have demonstrated the ability to intercept electronically simulated targets, showcasing enhanced adaptability and readiness for real-world scenarios.

Akash: A medium-range surface-to-air missile system, capable of engaging multiple targets at various altitudes.

S-400 Triumf: Procured from Russia, this system dramatically enhances India’s interception range (up to 400 km) and can simultaneously track and engage 80 targets, including ballistic and cruise missiles, drones, and fighter aircraft. The S-400’s integration marks a significant leap in India’s ability to counter both conventional and emerging aerial threats.

Potential NASAMS-II Acquisition: India has expressed interest in the US-made National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, though no formal deal has been finalized.

Project Kusha: The Future of Indian Air Defence


The most ambitious element of India’s air defence modernisation is Project Kusha, led by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Project Kusha aims to deliver a long-range, multi-layered air defence system capable of intercepting stealth aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, and precision-guided munitions at ranges up to 350 kilometres. The system will feature:

Multiple interceptor types for engagement at 150, 250, and 350 km
Advanced surveillance and fire control radars
High kill probabilities (=80% for single launches, =90% for salvo launches)
The ability to target high-speed, low radar cross-section threats, including fighter jets and large aircraft

With government funding of ₹21,700 crore, Project Kusha is set to fill critical capability gaps, especially along sensitive borders such as the Indo-Tibetan frontier, where China has increased missile deployments. This project underscores India’s commitment to a self-reliant, technologically advanced defence industry.

Pakistan’s Air Defence: Chinese Backbone, Limited Depth

Pakistan, meanwhile, has made notable advances in modernizing its air defences, primarily through Chinese-supplied systems:

HQ-9P And HQ-9BE: High-altitude systems with ranges of 100–200 km, protecting strategic zones like Karachi and Rawalpindi.

LY-80/LY-80E: Medium-range systems (40–70 km), effective against subsonic threats but reportedly inadequate against India’s supersonic BrahMos missile.

Short-Range Systems: A mix of Chinese FM-90 (15 km), French Crotale, and MANPADS like the Anza series and RBS-70 NG, which have limited coverage and outdated guidance compared to India’s Barak-8.

While Pakistan’s air defence architecture is improving, it remains heavily reliant on Chinese technology and lacks the indigenous depth and integration that India is now achieving through DRDO and Project Kusha.

Strategic Implications And The Path Forward

India’s approach to air defence reflects a nuanced understanding of its unique security environment. Unlike Israel, which operates in a compact theatre with mostly asymmetric threats, India faces conventional and strategic challenges across a vast territory. This reality has driven the development of scalable, multi-tiered, and cost-effective solutions that blend indigenous innovation with select imports.

The current crisis, triggered by the Pahalgam attack, has underscored the urgency of these investments. As both nations continue to upgrade their military arsenals, the risks of escalation-even in limited conflicts-have increased. However, military experts contend that nuclear weapons would remain a last resort, with any conflict likely to be fought with advanced aircraft, missiles, and drones.

India’s air defence transformation-anchored by indigenous systems, strategic imports, and ambitious projects like Kusha-positions it to meet the evolving challenges posed by both Pakistan and China. This forward-looking, self-reliant strategy marks a decisive leap over Pakistan’s China-fed capabilities and signals a new era in the subcontinent’s military balance.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)