SOURCE: AFI
In a thought-provoking analysis shared on X, defence enthusiast VatsRohit (@KesariDhwaj) has sparked a debate by highlighting the distinct challenges India faces in its air defence (AD) strategy compared to Israel’s defence posture against Iran. The post underscores the unique geopolitical and technological complexities of India’s scenario, particularly in countering potential threats from Pakistan and China, and why direct comparisons with Israel’s missile defence framework are misleading.
VatsRohit argues that equating India-Pakistan and Israel-Iran dynamics in terms of missile and drone attacks is flawed. Unlike Israel, which faces a concentrated threat from Iran’s ballistic missiles and drones over a compact geographical area, India has not yet encountered a scenario where Pakistan deploys ballistic missiles with conventional warheads against military or civilian targets. “Sorry to break your bubble, but there is no comparison between India-Pakistan and Israel-Iran in terms of missile/drone attacks and AD systems to counter them,” the post states.
Pakistan’s arsenal primarily focuses on fighter jets, cruise missiles (both air- and land-launched), and limited ballistic missile capabilities, which India’s current AD network is designed to counter. Cruise missiles and drones, VatsRohit notes, pose a different challenge compared to ballistic missiles, requiring tailored defence systems. India’s AD assets are evolving to address these threats, with significant advancements expected by 2030, including a denser and more robust network.
India’s air defence strategy comprises two key components: a general AD network to counter fighters, cruise missiles, drones, and limited ballistic missiles, and a specialized Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system to protect high-value targets from specific ballistic missile threats. The BMD system, still under development, aims to provide targeted protection against missiles with certain capabilities. Projects like the indigenous Kusha, a medium-range surface-to-air missile system, are expected to enhance India’s anti-ballistic missile (anti-BM) capabilities significantly.
However, VatsRohit emphasizes that India must prepare for more complex threats, particularly from China, which could involve saturation attacks combining sophisticated drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic or quasi-ballistic missiles. “Developing capability against ballistic missiles itself is a challenge, but doing that for mass BM attack will require significant investment,” the post warns.
Unlike Israel, which benefits from a small, compact area to defend with predictable threat vectors, India faces a vastly different reality. Israel’s two Arrow ballistic missile defence batteries provide comprehensive coverage for most of its territory, leveraging geography to anticipate missile trajectories from specific directions. In contrast, India’s vast geographical expanse and proximity to two nuclear-armed neighbors—Pakistan and China—present multifaceted challenges.
“We not only need more systems, but deeper magazine depth,” VatsRohit writes, highlighting the need for a larger inventory of interceptors and systems to sustain prolonged engagements. India’s AD and BMD networks must account for diverse attack scenarios, including potential mass ballistic missile salvos from China, which could overwhelm existing capabilities without significant scaling.
The analysis calls for accelerated investment in India’s defence infrastructure to address these emerging threats. While projects like Kusha promise enhanced capabilities, India must prioritize expanding its AD network, deepening missile inventories, and developing countermeasures for saturation attacks. The post also underscores the importance of indigenous innovation to reduce reliance on foreign systems and tailor solutions to India’s unique strategic needs.
As India strengthens its air defence architecture, the insights shared by VatsRohit serve as a reminder of the complex and evolving nature of modern warfare. With China’s growing military assertiveness and Pakistan’s advancing capabilities, India’s defence planners face an urgent task: building a resilient, multi-layered shield to safeguard the nation’s security in an increasingly volatile region.
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