India launches Mission Sudarshan Chakra to create a multi-layered air defence shield
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Mission Sudarshan Chakra, a nationwide air-defence system that will integrate radars, missiles and directed-energy weapons to counter threats from drones to ballistic missiles.
During his Independence Day address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced Mission Sudarshan Chakra, a comprehensive air-defence architecture designed to safeguard India from a spectrum of aerial threats, from low-level drones to exo-atmospheric ballistic missiles. The plan relies on three pillars: advanced sensors and radars, an Integrated Air Command and Control System, and a suite of weapons ranging from the domestically developed Kusha long-range SAM to upgraded Akash-NG missiles and short-range laser systems.
Recent DRDO tests in June 2026 validated multi-layered interception of long-range missiles, echoing lessons from Operation Sindoor where Indian defences proved effective against Pakistani attacks. Indigenous projects such as the MR-SAM, Project Kusha and electronic-warfare tools like Akash Tarang are being integrated to create a resilient network capable of withstanding saturation strikes. The initiative reflects a shift from point-defence to an offensive, whole-of-nation approach involving the armed forces, research institutions and industry. Once operational, the shield is expected to force adversaries to reconsider any aerial aggression toward India.
Why it matters
A unified Indian air-defence system could alter regional security dynamics by deterring aerial attacks across the subcontinent.
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