Project Kusha represents India’s most ambitious indigenous air defence program, combining DRDO’s technological leadership with private sector partners Solar Industries and Bharat Dynamics Limited under the Development-cum-Production Partner (DcPP) model.

The system is designed to provide a multi-layered shield against advanced aerial threats, with phased induction planned between 2028 and 2030.

Project Kusha has been conceived as a long-range surface-to-air missile (LRSAM) system capable of neutralising drones, cruise missiles, stealth aircraft, and ballistic missiles before they penetrate Indian airspace.

The system is structured around three interceptor variants. The M1 interceptor, with a range of 120 to 150 kilometres, is optimised for short-range engagements against low-flying or stealthy targets. The M2 interceptor extends the reach to approximately 250 kilometres, while the M3 interceptor pushes the envelope to 350–400 kilometres, capable of engaging threats at hypersonic speeds.

All three interceptors travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5, with simulations confirming performance up to Mach 5.5. The M3 variant is specifically designed to counter intermediate-range ballistic missiles travelling at re-entry speeds of up to 4 kilometres per second, equivalent to Mach 12.

A defining feature of Project Kusha is its adoption of “hit-to-kill” technology. Unlike conventional warheads, the interceptors are engineered to collide directly with incoming threats, ensuring destruction at high altitudes.

This is achieved through a specialised kill vehicle equipped with dual radio-frequency and infrared seekers, enabling precise targeting in all weather conditions and resilience against electronic jamming. Internal trials have demonstrated success rates of 80 to 90 per cent against manoeuvring targets, reflecting the maturity of the technology derived from the Akash-NG program.

The DcPP model has been instrumental in accelerating the timeline of Project Kusha. Traditionally, private industry partners were limited to supplying sub-systems, but under this framework they are integrated from the design phase through to fabrication and production.

This collaborative approach ensures smoother transitions from prototype to production, reduces delays, and strengthens India’s defence ecosystem. Solar Industries, with its expertise in explosives and propulsion systems, and Bharat Dynamics Limited, with its missile production capabilities, are central to this effort.

Bharat Electronics Limited is also engaged as an integration partner, ensuring seamless assembly and testing of the system. The Cabinet Committee on Security cleared the project in 2022, and by 2025 fabrication of the M1 interceptor had been completed, with trials scheduled to begin shortly thereafter. The phased induction of all three interceptors is expected between 2028 and 2030.

Project Kusha is not an isolated initiative but part of India’s broader “Sudarshan Chakra” air defence network. It will supplement existing systems such as the Barak 8, the Russian-origin S-400, and the indigenous ballistic missile defence program.

The Indian Air Force is the lead agency for deployment, with the Indian Navy also expected to induct a naval variant to supplement its LR-SAM systems. The program bridges the gap between medium-range systems like the MR-SAM, with an 80 kilometre range, and strategic systems like the S-400, with a 400 kilometre range. Its integration will create a “no-escape zone” of up to 350 kilometres for aerodynamic threats, including stealth fighters, supersonic cruise missiles, and hypersonic glide vehicles.

The strategic importance of Project Kusha lies in its ability to provide India with a credible deterrent against regional adversaries. Systems such as China’s DF-21D and Pakistan’s Shaheen-II are explicitly cited as threats the system is designed to counter.

The program reflects India’s determination to achieve self-reliance in defence technology, reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, and harness the innovation of tier-2 and tier-3 suppliers and start-ups. The involvement of private industry under the DcPP model is expected to mature into a robust mechanism that ensures fair, transparent, and rapid development of complex defence systems.

Agencies