In a major milestone set to boost India’s Air Defence, Akash Prime, the upgraded variant of Akash Weapon System for the Indian Army, was successfully tested in the rugged terrains of the Ladakh region recently. The weapon system successfully downed two Aerial High-Speed Unmanned targets at the high altitude.
The trials were done as part of the First of Production Model firing trial and will further enable timely induction and enhance the air defence potential in high-altitude frontiers of the country.
A statement from the Ministry of Defence confirming the successful trial stated that the weapon system is customised to operate at altitudes above 4,500 metres and has the latest upgrades, including an indigenously developed radio frequency seeker.
Based on the operational feedback from users, various upgrades have been made to improve the operational effectiveness, demonstrating the advantage of the ecosystem created for the indigenous weapon system.
Army Air Defence and DRDO, in conjunction with Defence PSUs such as Bharat Dynamics Limited & Bharat Electronics Limited, and other industry partners, have successfully validated the indigenously designed and developed Akash Prime Weapon System, according to the statement.
This achievement carries added significance as it follows the exceptional performance of India’s indigenously developed air defence systems during Operation Sindoor. It marks a major step forward for the nation’s missile development programmes, which are now gaining increasing attention in the global defence market.
Lauding the achievement, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the Indian Army, DRDO, and the industry, stating that the success is a significant boost to India’s Air Defence capabilities, particularly for meeting high-altitude operational requirements.
Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO, Dr Samir V Kamat, congratulated the teams associated with the successful test and stated that the missile has met the country’s critical air defence requirements for high altitude.