India is making significant progress in developing an indigenous long-range missile defense system that will enhance its self-reliance in the defense sector. The proposed three-layered long-range surface-to-air missile (LRSAM) defense system aims to strike down enemy aircraft and missiles at distances of approximately 400 kilometers. This project, estimated at over USD 2.5 billion, will place India in an elite group of militaries with the capability to defend against airborne threats from such long distances.
According to defense sources, the Defense Ministry is in an advanced stage of proposing the development of the three-layered LRSAM defense system and expects it to be cleared soon. The missile system will consist of three layers of surface-to-air missiles that can engage targets at various ranges. Notably, India has been collaborating with Israel to develop the medium-range surface-to-air missile system, MRSAM, capable of neutralizing aerial targets at distances exceeding 70 kilometers.
The Indian system is expected to match the caliber of the S-400 air defense system, which India has already acquired from Russia and deployed along its borders with China and Pakistan. The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has achieved significant success in developing air defense weapons for both ground-based and warship-based systems.
In response to the initiation of the LRSAM project by DRDO, the Indian Navy renamed its indigenous LRSAM system to MRSAM, a name previously used by the Army and the Indian Air Force for a similar indigenous system. Alongside the S-400 air defense systems, which can engage targets up to a maximum distance of 400 kilometers and shorter ranges, India aims to develop an LRSAM system that will further bolster its defense capabilities.
While the S-400 system is also utilized by the Chinese military and deployed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India, the Indian system is expected to be on par or even more advanced than the Chinese indigenous air defense systems, which are comparatively less capable than the S-400.
Three squadrons of the S-400 have already arrived in India and become operationalized, but the delivery schedule for the remaining two units remains unclear.
The Indian Air Force, which aims to promote indigenization in defense hardware, will take the lead in the LRSAM project. The development of an indigenous long-range missile defense system marks a significant milestone for India, enhancing its defense capabilities and reducing reliance on foreign-made equipment.
In conclusion, India’s progress in developing an indigenous three-layered long-range missile defense system demonstrates its commitment to self-reliance in the defense sector. With the aim of striking down enemy aircraft and missiles at a distance of 400 kilometers, this project places India among a select group of nations with such capabilities. The indigenous LRSAM system, along with the S-400 air defense system, will significantly bolster India’s defense capabilities, contributing to the country’s strategic interests and national security.
