Our indigenous air defence shield Project Kusha will be a game changer, says Rajnath Singh

The Defence Minister, speaking at a defence event in Hyderabad at the inauguration of the Advanced Weapon System Complex at the Defence Research and Developm...

What Happened

The Defence Minister, speaking at a defence event in Hyderabad at the inauguration of the Advanced Weapon System Complex at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), described Project Kusha as a "game changer" for India's security.
He credited DRDO-developed weapons with playing a decisive role during Operation Sindoor, India's military operation in May 2025 targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
Project Kusha, India's indigenous Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM) programme, has completed its initial development trials, with the first flight test of the M1 interceptor now being prepared.
The system is being developed by DRDO's Hyderabad-based laboratories, with Larsen & Toubro and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) as key industry partners under the Make in India framework.
The Cabinet Committee on Security has approved procurement of five squadrons for the Indian Air Force at an estimated cost of approximately ₹21,700 crore.

Static Topic Bridges

Project Kusha — India's Long Range Air Defence Programme

Project Kusha, also designated the Extended Range Air Defence System (ERADS) or Programme Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (PG-LRSAM), is DRDO's flagship initiative to develop an indigenous multi-layered, long-range surface-to-air missile system. It is designed to fill the gap above the medium-range Barak-8/MR-SAM (80 km range) and to eventually serve as an indigenous complement or successor to the Russian S-400 Triumf system.

The system uses three interceptor variants based on a common base missile platform — M1 (150 km range), M2 (250 km range), and M3 (350–400 km range).
The M3 interceptor is designed to match the engagement range of the S-400's longest-range missile (the 40N6E, ~400 km), giving India a domestic equivalent at significantly lower cost.
Each interceptor uses an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) seeker, capable of engaging aircraft, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and hypersonic threats.
Indigenous production is expected to reduce per-missile cost to approximately ₹40–50 crore, compared to ₹100 crore for an S-400 interceptor procured from Russia.
The system is intended for deployment around critical military assets, major cities, and strategic installations.

Connection to this news: The Defence Minister's statement at the DRDL inauguration directly praised Project Kusha, citing the validation of indigenous air defence systems during Operation Sindoor as the immediate driver of confidence in the programme's strategic value.

India's Layered Air Defence Architecture

Modern air defence is not a single system but a layered architecture — each tier designed to intercept threats at different ranges and altitudes. India has been building such a layered structure using both imported and indigenous systems.

Very Short Range (VSHORAD/MANPADS): Shoulder-fired systems like Igla-S; effective against low-flying helicopters and aircraft up to ~5 km.
Short Range: Spyder (Israeli), Akash (indigenous, 25–40 km range); counters jets and cruise missiles at short distances.
Medium Range: Barak-8/MR-SAM (80 km), jointly developed with Israel; also deployed by the Navy (LR-SAM on warships).
Long Range: S-400 Triumf (Russian, up to 400 km) — currently India's only long-range system; Project Kusha is designed to indigenise this tier.
The Akash system, developed under IGMDP, remains the flagship indigenously deployed short-range system and saw active deployment during Operation Sindoor.

Connection to this news: Project Kusha will plug a critical gap in long-range indigenous capability, reducing dependence on the S-400 (a Russian system that carries supply-chain and sanctions risks) and completing the indigenisation of India's layered air defence.

Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) — Project Kusha's Lineage

Project Kusha's lineage traces to the IGMDP, launched in 1983 under the scientific leadership of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. IGMDP was a comprehensive programme to develop a family of guided missiles to reduce India's dependence on foreign weapon imports.

IGMDP produced five missile systems: Agni (ballistic), Prithvi (surface-to-surface), Akash (surface-to-air), Trishul (short-range surface-to-air), and Nag (anti-tank).
Akash, the most successful product, became the first fully indigenous operational SAM system; Trishul was discontinued.
IGMDP laid the institutional infrastructure — laboratories, test ranges, private sector linkages — that now enables advanced programmes like Kusha and BrahMos.
Project Kusha represents the next generation: where IGMDP addressed short-range needs, Kusha targets long-range and high-altitude threats.

Connection to this news: The Defence Minister's remarks at the DRDL inauguration are continuous with a decades-long journey from IGMDP to Project Kusha, each step increasing the sophistication and range of India's indigenous missile shield.

Make in India in Defence — Policy and Industrial Framework

The government's Make in India initiative in defence aims to reduce the import bill (India was historically among the world's top arms importers), build a domestic defence industrial base, and enable exports.

Defence Procurement Policy (DPP) categorises acquisitions: Buy (Indian — Indigenously Designed Developed & Manufactured) carries the highest preference, followed by Buy (Indian), Buy & Make (Indian), Buy & Make, and Buy (Global).
The Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy (DPEPP) 2020 targets ₹1.75 lakh crore in defence production (including ₹35,000 crore in exports) by 2025.
Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) — the first formal step in defence procurement — was granted for Project Kusha's five-squadron IAF procurement in September 2023.
Private sector firms like L&T (propulsion, structures) and BEL (electronics, seekers) are integral to Kusha, signalling a shift from purely state-enterprise defence manufacturing.
Post-Operation Sindoor, there is heightened political and military consensus on accelerating indigenous air defence programmes.

Connection to this news: Project Kusha is a flagship demonstration of Make in India in high-technology defence — DRDO provides the design and technology, while private industry delivers scale, reducing both foreign exchange outflow and strategic vulnerability.

Key Facts & Data

Operation Sindoor: India's military operation in May 2025 striking nine terror sites in Pakistan and PoK; showcased Akash, Barak-8, BrahMos, and S-400 systems in active deployment.
S-400 Triumf: Procured from Russia under a ~$5.4 billion deal (2018); delivery began in 2021; five squadrons contracted; carries risk of US CAATSA sanctions and Russian supply-chain dependency.
Project Kusha budget: ₹21,700 crore (~$2.6 billion) for five IAF squadrons — broadly comparable to the S-400 deal cost.
M1 interceptor flight test is the next major developmental milestone (2026).
Three interceptor tiers — M1 (150 km), M2 (250 km), M3 (350–400 km) — using a modular design with common guidance systems.
DRDL (Defence Research and Development Laboratory), Hyderabad — the lead laboratory for Project Kusha within DRDO.
BEL and L&T are the primary industry development partners; BEL is also the manufacturer of the Akash weapon system.
India's defence exports crossed ₹21,000 crore in FY2024 — indigenous programmes like Akash are also being marketed to friendly nations.