Project Sudarshan – Indigenous Innovation Strengthening India’s Defence

• India unveiled “Mission Sudarshan Chakra” on August 15, 2025, as a multi-layered nationwide air and missile defence system capable of neutralising drones, aircraft, ballistic missiles, and hypersonic missiles.
• Project Kusha, developed by DRDO, forms the indigenous missile defence backbone with three interceptor variants (M1: 150 km, M2: 250 km, M3: 350–400 km) using dual radar and infrared sensors, potentially AI-supported.
• Sudarshan Chakra integrates existing systems like S-400, Akash Prime, and Barak-8, alongside the Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS) and Directed Energy Weapons, providing a coordinated, layered defence network.
• The Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) connects radars, interceptors, and fighter aircraft via AI-powered, fibre-optic networks, enabling rapid, nationwide defence responses, with full deployment targeted by 2035.

India’s progress has always been guided by the principle of prioritising peace over strength and following the same course. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on August 15, 2025, unveiled “Mission Sudarshan Chakra”, a landmark step towards India’s security. Inspired by Lord Krishna’s weapon, the Sudarshan Chakra, ensuring aggression against India will be met with full force and decisive action.

Mission Sudarshan Chakra represents the creation of a multi-layered, nationwide air and missile defence system, capable of neutralising drones, aircraft, ballistic missiles and even hypersonic missiles. Its design draws inspiration from Israel’s Iron Dome, but in a broader sense, its role extends beyond defence and includes offensive capabilities as well. As Prime Minister Modi said, it will “Not only defend but also punish the enemy,” conveying a strong message.

At the core of this mission lies Project Kusha, the indigenous missile defence backbone, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The system will include three interceptor variants (M1 with a 150 km range, M2 with a 250 km range, and M3 capable of striking targets 350–400 km away). Equipped with dual sensor technology using radar and infrared sensors and potentially supported by artificial intelligence, these interceptors assure quick response with great precision. The first trials are expected in 2026, with deployment envisioned in phases until nationwide coverage is achieved by 2035.

Sudarshan Chakra is not a single-unit defence system but builds upon the S-400, Akash Prime, and Barak-8 systems, ensuring a layered defence covering all aspects of defence from short-range drones to long-range ballistic missiles. This year, India’s potential was known to the world from its layered defence capabilities during Operation Sindoor, when multiple aerial threats were intercepted using S-400, Akash, and electronic warfare systems. A critical element of this mission is the Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS), which was successfully flight-tested off the coast of Odisha in August 2025. The test combined Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missiles (QRSAM), Very Short Range Air Defence Systems (VSHORADS), and carries a Directed Energy Weapon, which is a high-power laser capable of  destroying airborne targets in real-time combat

The Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) serves as the brain of Sudarshan Chakra. It carries fibre-optic communication networks and AI-powered rapid decision-making capabilities, and it connects radars, interceptors, and fighter aircraft into a single web and operates simultaneously across multiple platforms. These technical achievements validate not just weapons but the ability to integrate missiles, radars, and command systems into one coordinated response. 

Looking ahead, the mission will roll out in phases. The years 2026 to 2028 will see trials of the Kusha interceptors and further tests of directed energy weapons. By 2030, operational deployments will expand across civilian infrastructure. As India’s Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan remarked earlier, that  Sudarshan Chakra will require “A whole nation, tri-service effort” to achieve it by 2035. A nationwide protective invisible shield reflects the ambition and determination that India carries.

Strategically, this Mission addresses solutions to the threats looming from both Western and Northern fronts, and the increased use of drones and missiles in today’s warfare requires a robust defence like Sudarshan Chakra. By indigenously developing this shield, India reduces its dependence on foreign suppliers and strengthens its deterrence. Mission Sudarshan Chakra appears as a symbol of the nation’s capabilities. A strategic confluence of mythology and modernity, which allows India to step into a new era where the skies are secure, the borders fortified, and the spirit of “Make in India” shines brighter than ever.

References:

1. _{https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/sudarshan-chakra-mission-inspired-by-lord-krishna-indias-iron-dome-like-system-will-not-only-defend-but-also-punish-the-enemy/articleshow/123318178.cms?um}
2. _{https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defense/mission-sudarshan-chakra-how-india-aims-to-develop-an-s-400-style-defense-system-starting-with-2026-missile-trials/articleshow/123538439.cms?m}
3. _{https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pm-modi-independence-day-speech-sudarshan-chakra-indias-iron-dome-operation-sindoor-9090904?utm}
4. _{https://sputniknews.in/20250828/how-can-russia-help-india-build-its-sudarshan-chakra-air-defense-shield-9672162.html?share-block=9672167}

Samarth Tripathi

Samarth Tripathi holds a B.Sc. in Mathematics from Saint Gahira Guru University, Ambikapur, and a B.Ed. He has a strong interest in defence journalism, national security, and geopolitics.