SOURCE: AFI
As tensions simmer along the India-Pakistan border, India is placing significant trust in its indigenous Akash Air Defence System to counter a range of aerial threats, including Pakistani military jets, Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones, and Chinese Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) like the CH-4 and Wing Loong II. With Pakistan bolstering its arsenal through acquisitions from Turkey and China, the Akash system’s versatility and proven capabilities make it a cornerstone of India’s air defence strategy.
As of 2016, Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) was producing 50–60 Akash missiles per month, a rate that has likely scaled up to meet growing domestic and export demands. Here’s a deep dive into how the Akash system is poised to neutralize Pakistan’s aerial threats and why it remains a game-changer in the region.
Developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by BDL and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), the Akash is a medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system designed to protect vulnerable areas from aerial attacks. With a range of up to 45 km and the ability to engage targets at altitudes from 4 to 25 km, the Akash is equipped to neutralize fighter jets, cruise missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Its Rajendra 3D phased array radar can track 64 targets simultaneously and guide 12 missiles, making it ideal for countering multiple threats in contested airspace.
The system’s dual-guidance mechanism—command guidance for mid-course and active seeker for terminal phase—ensures high precision against maneuvering targets. The Akash-1S variant, tested successfully in 2019, enhances single-shot kill probability with an indigenous seeker, while the next-generation Akash-NG extends the range beyond 70 km, offering even greater flexibility. Fully mobile and integrated on wheeled and tracked platforms, the Akash provides rapid deployment and robust electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) to thwart jamming attempts, making it a reliable shield against Pakistan’s diverse aerial arsenal.
Pakistan’s air force relies on a mix of aging F-16s, Chinese JF-17 Thunders, and Mirage jets, which form the backbone of its offensive capabilities. The Akash system is well-suited to counter these manned platforms, with its 60 kg high-explosive warhead and proximity fuse designed to destroy fighter jets at ranges up to 30–45 km. Tests conducted by the Indian Air Force and Army, including a December 2023 exercise where four UAVs were neutralized simultaneously at 25 km, demonstrate the system’s ability to handle fast-moving, high-altitude targets like jets.
The Akash’s mobility and open-system architecture allow it to integrate with broader air defence networks, providing layered protection alongside systems like the S-400 and Barak-8. This is critical against Pakistan’s JF-17, which carries precision-guided munitions and anti-radiation missiles. The Akash’s ECCM features and ability to engage targets in group or autonomous modes ensure it can counter coordinated jet attacks, even in electronically contested environments.
Pakistan’s acquisition of Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones, confirmed by satellite imagery at PAF bases, has raised concerns in India due to their proven effectiveness in conflicts like Nagorno-Karabakh. The TB2, a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UCAV, operates at 5,500–8,000 meters and carries four laser-guided MAM-L missiles, posing a threat to ground targets and infrastructure. However, its slow speed (220 km/h) and large radar cross-section make it vulnerable to modern SAMs like the Akash.
The Akash’s Rajendra radar and dual-guidance system are optimized for low- to medium-altitude threats, enabling it to detect and intercept TB2s before they can deploy munitions. A 2024 report by Azerbaijan’s AIR Center, analyzing Armenia’s use of Akash against TB2s, noted the system’s ability to neutralize drones at ranges beyond their payload delivery capability.
The March 2025 downing of a Turkish Akinci UCAV by Kurdish forces in Qandil further exposed vulnerabilities in Turkish drones, including their susceptibility to radar-guided missiles in contested airspace. While the TB2 has been effective against poorly equipped adversaries, its performance against layered air defences, like India’s, is likely to be limited, especially given the Akash’s proven track record against UAVs in exercises like Astraskati 2023.
Pakistan’s drone arsenal also includes Chinese-made CH-4 and Wing Loong II UCAVs, acquired to enhance its strike and surveillance capabilities. The CH-4, a MALE drone with a 20-hour endurance, carries AR-1 laser-guided missiles and GPS-guided bombs, while the Wing Loong II offers improved range and payload capacity. These drones have been used effectively in conflicts like Yemen, but their slow speeds and lack of stealth make them vulnerable to advanced air defence systems.
The Akash-1S, with its 18–30 km strike range and hybrid guidance, is well-equipped to counter these UCAVs. Its ability to engage multiple targets simultaneously—demonstrated in a 2020 test where 10 missiles scored direct kills against Banshee drones—ensures it can handle drone swarms or coordinated attacks. The system’s mobility allows it to protect critical infrastructure along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), where Pakistan has used drones for smuggling and attacks, as seen in the 2021 Jammu airbase incident.
India’s experience countering Pakistani drone incursions, with 191 reported in Punjab and Jammu in 2022 alone, has honed its anti-drone tactics. The Akash, combined with systems like the Zen anti-drone platform, provides a layered defence against Chinese UCAVs, which lack the electronic countermeasures needed to evade modern SAMs.
As of 2016, BDL was producing 50–60 Akash missiles per month, a rate that supported the Indian Army and Air Force’s induction of multiple squadrons. Recent export deals, including a $720 million contract to supply 15 Akash systems to Armenia in 2022, suggest production has scaled up significantly. The Indian military’s orders, worth ?28,800 crore, have saved ?34,500 crore in foreign exchange by replacing imports, underscoring the system’s cost-effectiveness.
This robust production capacity ensures India can sustain a high operational tempo in a conflict, with sufficient missile stocks to counter Pakistan’s jets and drones. The Akash’s export success, with interest from Morocco and other nations, also enhances India’s strategic outreach, countering the Pakistan-Turkey-China axis. However, Pakistan’s Shahpar II UCAV, unveiled in 2024 with claims of outperforming the TB2 and CH-4, indicates Islamabad is investing heavily in indigenous drones, necessitating continued upgrades to the Akash-NG to maintain India’s edge.
NOTE: AFI is a proud outsourced content creator partner of IDRW.ORG. All content created by AFI is the sole property of AFI and is protected by copyright. AFI takes copyright infringement seriously and will pursue all legal options available to protect its content.