India has exported its medium-range Akash surface-to-air missile system to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, marking the first time New Delhi has extended its defense export reach into Central Asia, according to former DRDO Chairman Samir Kamat.
The Akash system is manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited and is engineered to intercept aircraft, helicopters, drones, and cruise missiles. This regional expansion coincides with broader domestic efforts by New Delhi to strengthen its homegrown air defense manufacturing capabilities and reduce its historical reliance on foreign suppliers.
### Advancing Domestic Long-Range Interceptors
While expanding its export footprint with systems like the Akash, India is simultaneously pushing forward with the development of its own domestic long-range air defense architecture. On a Thursday test from A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha, India successfully tested a long-range surface-to-air interceptor missile designed to counter high-speed, high-altitude aerial electronic targets, according to an official statement from the Defense Ministry.
The newly tested missile, designated as the Kusha, is intended to fill a significant operational gap in the nation’s multi-layered defense network. Dinakar Peri, a fellow in the Security Studies Program at Carnegie India, noted that current coverage relies on Russian S-400 Triumf systems—which provide a 400-kilometer range—and Israeli co-developed Barak-8 systems, which cover shorter ranges of around 70 kilometers.
“So there is a huge gap in between. Kusha will bridge this,” Peri said.
The Kusha project encompasses the development of three distinct variants with planned ranges of approximately 150 kilometers, 250 kilometers, and 350 to 400 kilometers. When fully validated, the longest-range variant is expected to match the reach of the S-400.
Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized the strategic importance of the milestone following the test, stating that the capability to develop such long-range systems is held by only a handful of nations and will eliminate import dependencies.
### Modernization and Future Procurement
Strengthening air defense capabilities has emerged as a top priority for New Delhi amid evolving modern warfare threats, including drones, cruise missiles, and long-range rockets. Earlier this month, the Defence Acquisition Council approved a $5.4 billion package for armed forces equipment, which includes counter-drone and layered air defense capabilities.
Despite these indigenous strides, India will remain reliant on foreign systems for the near future. The Kusha system requires further trials and is projected to be ready for operational deployment in three to four years. To maintain immediate readiness along contested borders, India earlier this year approved the acquisition of five additional S-400 Triumf systems from Russia.
