Kusha missile test marks step toward India’s self-reliant defence umbrella: Report

India is preparing for the first test of the Kusha long-range surface-to-air missile system, a domestically developed weapon that will form a crucial part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Sudarshan Chakra mission — a two-phase plan to build a multilayered national defence umbrella against aerial threats by 2035.

New Delhi:  The first test of the Kusha long-range surface-to-air missile system is set to bring India closer to self-reliance and be a key part of Sudarshan Chakra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-phase Mission for a multilayered national defence umbrella, against ballistic missiles, fighter aircraft, drones and other threats by 2035, a media report said.

“India’s first test of its Kusha long-range surface-to-air missile system is seen as a milestone that could pave the way for New Delhi to bolster its home-grown air defence network and meet the challenges of future conflicts,” the report by the South China Morning Post said.

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It cited IAF’s Air Marshal Ravi Gopal Krishna Kapoor (retd) as saying that Kusha could be integrated into the country’s air defence architecture easily as it was a domestically developed system.

“The threats are multiplying with the proliferation of drones and missiles, further complicated by fifth-generation fighters. The best way of air denial is to have a robust integrated multilayered air defence system capable of detecting, identifying, engaging and destroying intruders,” Kapoor said, as per the report.

He also said that Kusha could complement Russia’s S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems as part of the outermost umbrella of India’s air defence, with the short-to-medium range surface-to-air missiles such as the Akash being part of the inner layer, the report added.

“At the same time, the Kusha could also play a limited offensive role to prevent enemies from launching their weapons, as shown during Operation Sindoor, Kapoor added, citing the need to counter modern aircraft such as the Chinese next-generation advanced fighters equipped with long-range air-to-air missiles,” it said.

The report also noted that India would face less vulnerability over foreign supply chains by having control over the Kusha’s production, maintenance and software, citing Srinivasan Balakrishnan, director of strategic engagements and partnerships at the Indic Researchers Forum, a Delhi-based security think tank.

According to him, Kusha could provide deterrence against fighter jets, cruise missiles, drones and other weapons and was estimated to cost half of what similar imported systems would.

“Without Kusha, Sudarshan Chakra would remain incomplete. With it, India gains the backbone needed for nationwide coverage of both strategic and civilian assets,” Balakrishnan said, the South China Morning Post report said.