In a rapidly evolving threat environment marked by drone swarms, precision-guided munitions, and low radar cross-section aerial platforms, India has responded with the successful development and testing of Akash Prime — the latest iteration of the indigenous Akash Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) System. Designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Akash Prime is a substantial technological leap from its predecessors, aligning India's air defence matrix with modern warfare demands. Its successful test-firing at high-altitude in Ladakh on July 16, 2025 marks a significant milestone in India's indigenous air defence capability.
Evolution of the Akash Missile System: A Brief Background
The Akash Missile System has its genesis in the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) launched by DRDO in the 1980s. It is India's first indigenously developed medium-range SAM system capable of engaging multiple aerial threats such as fighter jets, cruise missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The original Akash missile was inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2007 and later into the Indian Army in 2015. It is deployed as a point/area defence system, integrated with radars and command-control units, and forms a vital component of India’s mobile air defence shield.
Over the years, DRDO and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), in collaboration with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), developed improved variants including Akash Mk-I, Akash Mk-II, and now Akash Prime, with each bringing significant technological and strategic upgrades.
Akash Prime: Key Technical Specifications
The Akash Prime is not just an incremental upgrade — it is a strategic evolution in India's air defence arsenal. It has been optimized for engaging modern aerial threats under high-manoeuvrability and low-RCS (Radar Cross Section) conditions.
Here are the notable technical enhancements in Akash Prime:
✅ Enhanced Seeker and Guidance System
The standout feature of Akash Prime is the integration of an indigenously developed active radio-frequency (RF) seeker, replacing the older command-guidance system.
The seeker enhances accuracy and reliability, especially against smaller targets like UAVs and cruise missiles that often evade radar tracking.
✅ Improved Low-Temperature Performance
Akash Prime is specifically calibrated for high-altitude and extreme cold weather operations, making it highly suitable for deployment in Eastern Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, areas bordering China where temperatures often dip below -20°C.
✅ Reaction Time and Agility
Thanks to upgraded onboard processors and data-link systems, Akash Prime has faster response time, improved terminal-phase guidance, and higher kill probability against high-speed, agile aerial threats.
✅ Mobility and Deployment
The Akash Prime system is fully mobile, mounted on 8x8 high-mobility Tatra trucks, and can be rapidly deployed in forward areas.
It includes a command and control centre, Surveillance and Tracking Radars (Rajendra III), missile launchers, and support vehicles, all designed for network-centric operations.
✅ Range and Engagement Envelope
Engagement Range: 3 to 45 km (optimised for low and medium-altitude interception)
Altitude: 30 m to 18 km
Speed: Mach 2.5 (approx. 850 m/s)
Warhead: 60 kg High-Explosive Fragmentation (HE-FRAG)
Propulsion: Solid-fuel rocket motor with ramjet sustainer
Strategic Significance of Akash Prime
1. Strengthening India's Multilayered Air Defence Network
India is in the process of building a multi-tiered air defence grid, which includes S-400 (long-range), MR-SAM (medium-range), Akash (short-to-medium-range), and VSHORADS (very short-range). Akash Prime fills a critical operational gap between short-range and medium-range systems, especially in high-altitude theatres.
2. Counter to China’s Drone and Missile Warfare
With China's increasing deployment of drones, UAVs, and long-range rocket artillery along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Akash Prime's ability to track and destroy small, agile, and low-flying objects is a direct counter to Chinese asymmetric aerial tactics.
3. Export Potential and Strategic Diplomacy
India has already offered Akash systems to several countries under its 'Make in India' and ‘Defence Export’ initiative, including Vietnam, the Philippines, and African nations. Akash Prime’s upgrades make it more attractive in the global arms market, particularly for nations looking for cost-effective, non-Western air defence alternatives.
4. Boost to Indigenous Defence Ecosystem
Akash Prime exemplifies the self-reliance doctrine of Atmanirbhar Bharat, with over 96% indigenous content. Its development involves multiple Indian firms — DRDO (R&D), BDL (missile production), BEL (radar and electronics), and private suppliers for subsystems — thus fostering techno-industrial synergy.
5. Future Integration with Network-Centric Warfare
Akash Prime is designed to be plug-and-play within India’s Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS). It is interoperable with early warning radars, AEW&C platforms like Netra, and air defence control units, paving the way for faster sensor-to-shooter linkages.
Akash Prime, with its upgraded seeker and extreme-weather readiness, competes favourably with systems like China’s HQ-16 or even Western systems like NASAMS-II in terms of cost-efficiency and adaptability to harsh terrain.
Conclusion: A Shield Reinforced with Precision and Purpose
Akash Prime is more than an air defence upgrade — it is a manifestation of India's strategic foresight, technological maturity, and commitment to self-reliance. In an era where air superiority can be dictated by hypersonic threats, drone warfare, and cyber-electronic disruptions, India’s decision to indigenously evolve its own layered defence grid is not only pragmatic but essential.
With Akash Prime now validated through successful test firings and deployment trials, the Indian Armed Forces are significantly better positioned to protect high-value targets, military bases, and forward-operating areas. The system represents a potent blend of technology, doctrine, and national resolve, adding a formidable layer to India’s defensive armour — one that is proudly Made in India, for India, and potentially, for the world.