SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
As the India-Pakistan conflict continues to dominate headlines, Dr. Prahlada Ramarao, the former DRDO scientist behind the indigenous Akash missile system, spoke to Indian media today, expressing pride in the system’s performance. The Akash, a surface-to-air missile system, has been instrumental in countering Pakistani aerial threats, including drones and missiles, during the ongoing hostilities. Dr. Ramarao emphasized that the system was designed to intercept any target within its range and has performed as per its capabilities, ensuring high accuracy.
The Akash missile system, developed over 15 years under Dr. Ramarao’s leadership, has proven its mettle in the current conflict. On the night of May 8-9, 2025, the Indian Army and Air Defence units successfully neutralized multiple Pakistani drone and missile attacks along the western border and the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. Cities like Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Srinagar, which came under attack, were protected by a multi-layered defense grid that included the Akash system alongside the S-400 and Barak-8 systems.
Dr. Ramarao, now 78, spoke to Indian media, stating, “The Akash system was designed to intercept anything within its range—drones, missiles, helicopters, even high-speed fighter jets like the F-16s used by Pakistan. It has performed as per its capabilities, ensuring the accuracy we aimed for during its development.” His comments come after reports of the Akash system successfully engaging Pakistani Byker YIHA III kamikaze drones, which were intercepted over Amritsar and other border areas early on May 10.
The Akash, manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited in Hyderabad, is a short-to-medium-range surface-to-air missile system capable of engaging targets at altitudes up to 20 km. With a range of 25-30 km for its initial variants, the system can track and engage multiple targets simultaneously, thanks to its Rajendra Passive Electronically Scanned Array (PESA) 3D radar. It features built-in electronic counter-countermeasures, making it resilient in contested environments, and its mobility on wheeled platforms allows for rapid deployment.
Dr. Ramarao, handpicked by India’s “Missile Man,” Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, to lead the Akash program, recalled the challenges faced during its development. Initially met with skepticism by the Indian military, the system has now become a cornerstone of India’s air defense, with advanced variants like the Akash-NG extending its range to 70-80 km. The scientist’s pride was palpable as he noted, “Seeing it work so accurately in a real combat scenario is a testament to the hard work of my team and the vision of Dr. Kalam.”
The Akash system’s deployment comes amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. India’s Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. Pakistan responded with drone and missile strikes on 36 Indian locations, targeting civilian areas in Punjab and military installations in Jammu and Kashmir. Indian air defenses, including the Akash, SPYDER, and S-400 systems, have been on high alert, neutralizing numerous threats, as evidenced by the Python-5 seeker head debris found in Jalandhar earlier today.
The Akash system’s success has also drawn international attention, with Armenia having previously purchased the system in a ?6,000-crore deal. Dr. Ramarao’s tagline for the Akash, “sara akash hamara” (the whole sky is ours), has resonated widely, especially as the system continues to prove its worth in live combat.
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