Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mission Sudarshan Chakra or anti-ballistic missile shield is rapidly gaining momentum with DRDO expected to test-fire three interceptors under Project Kusha from 120 km to 400 km range in the next 12 months.
On Thursday, the DRDO conducted maiden test-firing of the Kusha M-1 interceptor with a range of 120 kilometers off the coast of Odisha. Next to follow is the test firing of the M-2 interceptor with a range of 150 km and M-3 interceptor with the target range of 400 km. Project Kusha was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security in May 2022 but the project took off after Operation Sindoor when Pakistan targeted India with as many as 1000 projectiles. None of the missiles or the kamikaze drones found target in India and were successfully intercepted by the Akash Teer missile system.
The three interceptors under Project Kusha are all long-range surface to air missile ready to take out any aerial threat towards India. The M-1, M-2 and M-3 interceptors, which will bridge the gap between Indian 80 km range medium range surface missile and the S-400 air defence system, will form the back-bone of the Indian anti-ballistic missile system.
Project Kusha has been accorded top priority by the Narendra Modi government after Op Sindoor and Iran-US war showed that wars are going to be only fought using standoff weapons like missiles and drones. Since February 28, Iran has launched thousands of drones and missiles against all the Gulf countries and Israel and managed to hit targets despite anti-ballistic missile systems deployed by US-Israel and Gulf countries.
It was during Op Sindoor that the Indian armed forces felt the need of a LR-SAM to protect its fighting platforms and critical infrastructure. While the three interceptors are part of the kinetic force used against enemy missile and drones, Project Kusha is also about having long range radars which can pick up enemy missile firing across the border and prepare to neutralize the aerial threat.
Given the criticality of anti-ballistic missile defence, India is looking forward to the fifth contracted S-400 system landing from Russia in November this year. Already work has begun on acquiring another five S-400 systems from Russia under the buy and make route and regulatory approvals will soon follow with India buying more than 280 S-400 missiles from Russia as part of its inventory.
Since Op Sindoor has not been called off, India is building its long range missile capability in case Pakistan again uses the terrorism card against India.
