Akash (missile)

Akash (lit. 'Sky') is a medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The Army and the Air Force variants of the missile system are produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). Surveillance and fire control radar, Tactical Command and Control Center and missile launcher are developed by BEL, Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Larsen & Toubro. The Akash missile system can target aircraft up to 45 km (28 mi) away. It has the capability to neutralise aerial targets like fighter jets, cruise missiles and air-to-surface missiles. It is in operational service with the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

An Akash battery comprises a single PESA 3D Rajendra radar and four launchers with three missiles each, all of which are interlinked. Each battery can track up to 64 targets and attack up to 12 of them. The missile has a 60 kg (130 lb) high-explosive, pre-fragmented warhead with a proximity fuse. The Akash system is fully mobile and capable of protecting a moving convoy of vehicles. The launch platform has been integrated with both wheeled and tracked vehicles. While the Akash system has primarily been designed as an air defence SAM, it also has been tested in a missile defense role. The system provides air defence missile coverage for an area of 2,000 km² (770 sq mi). The Indian military's combined orders of the Akash, including radar systems (WLR and Surveillance), have a total worth of ₹28,800 crore (equivalent to ₹400 billion or US$4.8 billion in 2023). As per Ministry of Defence (MoD) Report 2018, existing order of Akash saved ₹34,500 crore (equivalent to ₹460 billion or US$5.5 billion in 2023) of foreign exchange for India on imports.

In July 2025, the Indian Army successfully conducted high-altitude trials of the indigenously developed Akash Prime air defence system in eastern Ladakh, aiming to bolster India's operational capabilities in mountainous terrain.

The two-day trial, conducted at an altitude of over 15,000 feet, was jointly executed by the Army Air Defence Corps and senior scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). During the exercise, Akash Prime scored two direct hits on fast-moving aerial targets, validating its precision and adaptability in the rarified high-altitude atmosphere.

The test marks a significant step toward enhancing India’s area air defence in sensitive border regions and is in alignment with the country's broader goal of building a self-reliant and resilient indigenous missile defence ecosystem under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.