India’s Mission Sudarshan Chakra: The Revolutionary Indigenous Air Defense System
India has taken a monumental leap in defense technology with the launch of Mission Sudarshan Chakra, an ambitious indigenous air defense initiative that promises to transform the nation’s security landscape. This comprehensive defense shield, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Independence Day 2025, represents India’s most significant step toward achieving complete self-reliance in critical defense technologies.
What is Mission Sudarshan Chakra?
Mission Sudarshan Chakra is a decade-long national security initiative designed to protect India’s critical establishments through entirely indigenous technology development. Named after Lord Krishna’s divine weapon from the Mahabharata, this comprehensive defense system aims to create a multi-layered security framework by 2035, integrating advanced surveillance, cyber protection, and physical infrastructure safeguards.
The mission represents India’s answer to global defense systems like Israel’s Iron Dome and the proposed US Golden Dome, but with enhanced, future-ready capabilities tailored specifically for India’s diverse threat landscape. Unlike traditional defense systems, Sudarshan Chakra will have both defensive and offensive components, allowing for precision strikes alongside attack neutralization.
Project Kusha: The Technological Backbone
At the core of Mission Sudarshan Chakra lies Project Kusha, DRDO’s ambitious long-range air defense system often called India’s “Desi S-400”. This indigenous Extended Range Air Defence System (ERADS) is designed to bridge the gap between India’s existing MR-SAM systems (80 km range) and the Russian S-400 (400 km range).
Project Kusha features three variants of interceptor missiles:
M1 Interceptor: 150 km range, targeting fighter jets, drones, and cruise missiles
M2 Interceptor: 250 km range, equipped with advanced tracking capabilities
M3 Interceptor: 350 km range, capable of engaging large aircraft and airborne early warning systems
The system boasts an impressive 80-90% interception success rate and can counter stealth jets, drones, aircraft, and Mach 7 anti-ship ballistic missiles. Testing is scheduled to begin with the M1 missile in 2026, followed by M2 in 2027 and M3 in 2028, with full deployment expected between 2028-2030.
Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS): Proven Technology
The recent successful testing of the Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS) on August 23, 2025, marked a crucial milestone toward Mission Sudarshan Chakra. Conducted off the Odisha coast, this maiden flight test demonstrated India’s capability to simultaneously engage multiple aerial threats at different ranges and altitudes.
The IADWS comprises three critical components:
Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missiles (QRSAM): Designed to provide protective shields to moving armored columns, with a range of 3-30 kilometers and complete 360-degree coverage.
Advanced Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS): A fourth-generation Man Portable Air Defence System capable of neutralizing targets between 300 meters and 6 kilometers, including drones and other aerial threats.
High-Power Laser-Based Directed Energy Weapon (DEW): A revolutionary system that uses focused energy to cause structural damage and disable surveillance sensors of enemy drones, operating at the speed of light.
Strategic Capabilities and Multi-Domain Integration
Mission Sudarshan Chakra will function as a sensor fusion network integrating space, air, ground, maritime, and undersea sensors. The system will employ cutting-edge technologies including artificial intelligence, directed-energy weapons, lasers, and autonomous drones to create an impenetrable defense shield.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan emphasized that the mission requires “colossal amount of integration” involving multi-domain intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. The system will utilize advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing for real-time data analysis and response.
The defense shield will protect strategic military installations, civilian infrastructure including electricity grids, communications networks, food and water supplies, medical facilities, and defense systems from aerial threats. The system can detect, track, and neutralize incoming missiles, drones, artillery shells, and even swarm attacks in real-time.
Indigenous Development and Self-Reliance
Mission Sudarshan Chakra represents India’s commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) in the defense sector. The entire system will be researched, developed, and manufactured domestically, involving collaboration between India’s premier research agencies, defense establishments, and private industry.
The project has received ₹21,700 crore approval for five squadrons for the Indian Air Force, making it significantly more cost-effective than imported systems. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) serves as the key development partner, with prototype manufacturing expected within 12-18 months.
The indigenous approach ensures that sensitive defense capabilities remain under national control while reducing dependence on foreign defense equipment. This strategic autonomy is crucial given the increasing geopolitical tensions and the need for reliable, domestically-controlled defense systems.
Operational Timeline and Future Deployment
The phased implementation of Mission Sudarshan Chakra follows a structured timeline. The IADWS testing success in August 2025 provides the foundation for more advanced systems. Project Kusha’s M1 missile testing begins in 2026, with subsequent variants following in 2027 and 2028.
The complete Mission Sudarshan Chakra defense shield is targeted for deployment by 2035, creating a comprehensive multi-layered integrated air and missile defense system around key locations. The system will eventually integrate with India’s existing defense infrastructure, including the S-400 Triumf systems, Barak 8 MRSAM, and indigenous Akash missiles.
Global Comparison and Strategic Impact
Mission Sudarshan Chakra positions India among the exclusive group of nations possessing advanced multi-layered air defense capabilities. Unlike the Israeli Iron Dome, which protects a relatively small geographic area, India’s system must cover vast territories and diverse threat scenarios.
The system’s mobile, modular, and scalable design allows deployment with forward troops near sensitive borders or critical naval assets. This flexibility provides India with unprecedented strategic depth and defensive capabilities across multiple domains.
General Chauhan expressed confidence that India can build its own “Iron or Golden Dome” at an affordable cost using a whole-of-nation approach. The mission will act as both “shield and sword,” providing defensive protection while maintaining counter-strike capabilities against adversaries.
