Operation Sindoor stands as a defining moment for India’s defence establishment, demonstrating not only military superiority over adversaries equipped with advanced Chinese and Turkish arms but also marking a pivotal leap toward the nation’s goal of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-Reliant India).

The operation’s success was anchored in the deployment of indigenous weapon systems, which effectively countered complex, multi-national threats and showcased India’s growing capacity to defend itself with home-grown technology.

During Operation Sindoor, India faced a formidable challenge: Pakistan’s military, bolstered by Chinese-origin PL-15 missiles and Turkish-supplied drones, launched coordinated attacks using advanced tactics such as third-party operators and satellite-guided munitions. Despite this, Indian forces not only neutralized these threats but also struck deep into Pakistani territory, targeting terror infrastructure and military assets from stand-off distances exceeding 250 kilometres-without crossing into Pakistani airspace. This was achieved through the operational use of several indigenous systems:

BrahMos The Missile That Had Pak Knees Knocking

The BrahMos missile stands as one of the world’s fastest and most advanced supersonic cruise missiles. Named after the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers, BrahMos combines cutting-edge technology, versatility, and formidable strike power, making it a cornerstone of India’s modern military arsenal.

BrahMos is a two-stage missile system: a solid propellant booster accelerates it to supersonic speeds, after which a liquid-fuelled ramjet sustainer propels it at speeds ranging from Mach 2.8 to Mach 3, nearly three times the speed of sound. This high velocity drastically reduces flight time, giving adversaries as little as 12 to 15 seconds to react, especially when the missile skims just 5 to 10 meters above sea level-well below the detection range of most ship-based radars. The missile’s range has evolved from an initial 290 km to 450 km, and recent variants can reach up to 650 km, with the Indian Navy ordering extended-range versions capable of striking targets 800 km away.

BrahMos is designed for universal deployment. It can be launched from land-based mobile launchers, naval ships (both inclined and vertical launch), submarines, and aircraft such as the Su-30MKI fighter jet. Each variant is tailored for its platform, with the air-launched version featuring a smaller booster and additional fins for stability. The missile can carry conventional warheads weighing between 200 and 300 kg, and its “fire-and-forget” guidance system-using inertial navigation and active radar homing-ensures pinpoint accuracy, with a circular error probable (CEP) of just 1 meter.

The missile’s kinetic energy, derived from its mass and high speed, gives it exceptional destructive power, surpassing many subsonic cruise missiles in target penetration and lethality. Its low radar signature and ability to fly complex trajectories-such as low-high-low or low-low-low-make it extremely difficult to intercept or jam. BrahMos Block III variants can also strike land-based targets, expanding its tactical role beyond anti-ship operations.

India has fully inducted all BrahMos variants into its Army, Navy, and Air Force, and has become a missile exporter, signing a $375 million deal with the Philippines in 2022. The missile’s production infrastructure is robust, with manufacturing and testing facilities in Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, and a new plant in Lucknow capable of producing 100–150 missiles annually.

Looking ahead, the BrahMos program is advancing towards hypersonic technology with the BrahMos-II, which aims to achieve speeds of Mach 8 and a range of 1,500 km using scramjet propulsion, enabling it to target deeply buried and heavily protected sites.

BrahMos is not only a symbol of Indo-Russian technological cooperation but also a strategic asset that provides India with a rapid, precise, and virtually unstoppable strike capability across multiple domains, reinforcing its deterrence and power projection in the region and beyond.

Akash Missile: India’s Air Defence Shield

The Akash missile system, developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), is a cornerstone of India’s indigenous, layered air defence architecture. Designed as a short-to-medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM), Akash is engineered to intercept and destroy a range of aerial threats, including fighter jets, drones, cruise missiles, and helicopters. Its operational range is typically cited as 25 km, with some sources noting variants reaching up to 30 km or more, and it can engage targets at altitudes up to 18–20 km.

Akash’s effectiveness is rooted in its advanced guidance and radar systems. The system integrates a 3D Central Acquisition Radar, capable of scanning airspace up to 120 km, and the Rajendra multi-function fire control radar, which can track and guide missiles to multiple targets within an 80 km radius. Each Akash launcher is mobile, holds up to three missiles, and the entire system can be rapidly deployed or redeployed by road or rail, providing critical flexibility for India’s armed forces.

The missile itself is propelled by a ramjet engine, allowing it to reach speeds up to Mach 2.5–3, and is equipped with a 55–60 kg pre-fragmented warhead, detonated by a proximity fuse for maximum effectiveness even without a direct hit. Akash boasts a high kill probability-about 88% with a single missile, rising to nearly 99% when two are fired in quick succession. Its electronic counter-countermeasure (ECCM) capabilities make it resilient against enemy jamming and electronic warfare tactics, ensuring reliable performance in contested environments.

Akash has proven its value in real-world scenarios, most notably during recent hostilities with Pakistan. The system played a pivotal role in neutralising incoming missiles, drones, and aircraft, effectively shielding Indian cities and military assets in western India. Its ability to engage up to four aerial targets simultaneously was demonstrated during the Indian Air Force’s Astrashakti exercise, where Akash successfully intercepted multiple unmanned aerial vehicles approaching from different directions.

Ongoing development has produced advanced variants such as Akash Prime and Akash-NG (Next Generation). Akash Prime offers improved reliability in extreme environments and high altitudes, addressing operational feedback from the Indian Air Force and Army. Akash-NG extends the engagement range to 70–80 km and features enhanced guidance and ECCM technologies, further strengthening India’s air defence envelope.

D4 Anti-Drone System: Beating Enemy Drones

India deployed the indigenously developed D4 Anti-Drone System, created by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), to counter the persistent threat of Pakistani drone swarms, including advanced unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs). The D4 system has quickly established itself as a formidable shield, effectively neutralizing a significant number of aerial incursions, particularly those involving Turkish-supplied UAVs used by Pakistan.

The D4 system’s strength lies in its multi-layered and multi-sensor approach, which integrates radar, radio frequency (RF) sensors, and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) cameras to provide comprehensive 360-degree detection and tracking of enemy drones. Once a drone is detected, the system employs an AI-powered threat classification engine to rapidly assess the intent and threat level, enabling prompt and precise countermeasures.

For neutralisation, D4 utilizes both "soft kill" and "hard kill" strategies. The soft kill mechanism involves RF and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) jamming, as well as GPS spoofing, which disrupts the navigation and communication links of hostile drones, often causing them to lose control or crash mid-flight. If soft kill measures are insufficient, the system can escalate to a hard kill using a high-energy laser-based directed energy weapon, physically destroying drones in the air at ranges up to 3 kilometres. The laser component was developed with significant contributions from the Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS) in Hyderabad.

The D4 system is notable for its adaptability, capable of countering nano, micro, and mini drones, and can be deployed in both static and mobile configurations. Its components include drone detection and tracking radar, day/night cameras with laser ranging, communication channel detection and jamming systems, GPS jamming/spoofing modules, a laser-directed energy weapon, and an integrated command and control centre. This comprehensive architecture ensures that D4 can operate effectively in complex environments, including urban areas with high-rise buildings and heavy electromagnetic interference, where minimizing collateral damage is crucial.

Developed through the collaboration of several DRDO laboratories-specifically those in Bangalore (LRDE), Hyderabad (DLRL and CHESS), and Dehradun (IRDE)-the D4 system exemplifies India’s push for technological self-reliance under the “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiative. Its operational success during Operation Sindoor has demonstrated its capability to render enemy drone incursions largely ineffective, cementing its role as a critical asset in India’s modern air defence strategy.

The D4 Anti-Drone System represents a significant leap in India’s ability to defend against evolving aerial threats. By combining advanced detection, electronic warfare, and directed energy technologies, D4 provides a robust, indigenous solution to safeguard both military and critical civilian infrastructure from the growing menace of rogue drones.

Indo-Israeli Collaborations: Systems like the Barak-8 missile and SkyStriker loitering munitions, developed in partnership with Israel, complemented indigenous platforms and further enhanced India’s layered defence shield.

Operation Sindoor’s outcome not only forced Pakistan to seek a ceasefire after suffering significant losses-including the disabling of Chinese-made air defence systems and the destruction of multiple drone and radar bases-but also exposed the limitations of imported Chinese and Turkish weaponry when pitted against India’s integrated, indigenous defence solutions.

Beyond the battlefield, Operation Sindoor has catalysed a surge in confidence and credibility for Indian-made defence products. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public endorsement of ‘Made-in-India’ weapons, and the record ₹23,622 crore in defence exports for 2024-25 (a 12% increase over the previous year), signal a new era in which India is not just reducing its dependence on foreign arms but is positioning itself as a global defence exporter.

Despite these strides, India remains the world’s second-largest arms importer, with Russia, France, Israel, and the US as key suppliers. However, the operational success of indigenous systems during Operation Sindoor marks a turning point-demonstrating that India’s defence industry is now capable of delivering world-class solutions, both for its own security and for international partners.

Operation Sindoor was more than a tactical victory; it was a showcase of India’s technological self-reliance, the effectiveness of its indigenous defence industry, and a milestone in the journey toward true strategic autonomy under the banner of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Based On TOI Report