Akash unleashed: The homegrown weapon that blocked Pakistani drones and made us an arms exporter

When Pakistani drones and missiles screamed through the skies toward 15 Indian cities, the response wasn’t just swift — it was a showcase of India’s self-made firepower. Spearheading the defence was Akash, the indigenously developed surface-to-air missile system that not only held the line but pushed back — hard. 

The Akash system “was instrumental in intercepting and neutralising multiple hostile aerial threats across the western theatre,” defence officials told news agency ANI. Developed by DRDO and manufactured by BDL and BEL, the Akash system has been in Indian service since the 2010s. But the recent cross-border flare-up has given it a new aura — not just as a guardian of Indian skies but as a globally relevant weapon system. 

Each battery integrates missiles, launchers, surveillance and fire control radars, and a mobile command post — a full spectrum response package that is completely road-mobile and deployable on short notice.

Deployed across key border sectors from Punjab to Kashmir, the missile system's powerful Rajendra radar systems can detect incoming targets — drones, cruise missiles, and potentially manned aircraft.

Akash crews, operating mobile launchers mounted on wheeled and tracked platforms, can respond within seconds. The missiles can  travel at supersonic speeds between Mach 2.5 and 3.5. Each missile is reportedly armed with a 60 kg high-explosive, pre-fragmented warhead designed for airburst detonation near the target.

The Akash system’s kill probability is around 88% with a single missile, and up to 99% in salvo mode.

What made Akash particularly effective in this operation, according to experts, was its ability to handle multiple targets simultaneously. 

With the capacity to track up to 64 threats and engage 12 at once, it played a crucial role in India’s integrated air defence.

Armenia was the first to ink a deal — reportedly worth over ₹6,000 crore — for the Akash system in 2024. Since then, enquiries have surged from Vietnam, the Philippines, Brazil, and Egypt. With over 96% indigenous content, India is offering not just missiles, but complete systems — radars, support vehicles, logistics — everything a client needs.

What makes Akash truly stand out is its cost-performance ratio. Built at a fraction of the cost of Western or Russian systems, Akash combines rugged reliability with lethal capability. The upcoming Akash-NG variant, currently in advanced testing, promises to double the range to 80 km, add canisterised launchers and active radar seekers, and improve resistance to jamming — all features honed from lessons of modern warfare, including drone-heavy conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war.