Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Hails Project Kusha as 'Game Changer' for India's Air Defence
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Advanced Weapon System Complex at DRDO's DRDL in Hyderabad on June 12, 2026, declaring the indigenous long-range surface-to-air missile programme Project Kusha a 'game changer' for India's security. Singh said the system had already demonstrated its value during Operation Sindoor, the 2025 tri-services military campaign launched after the Pahalgam terror attack. The remarks signal India's push to reduce dependence on foreign air defence platforms and build a self-reliant, multi-layered missile shield by 2035.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday inaugurated the Advanced Weapon System Complex at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad and used the occasion to champion Project Kusha, India's indigenous long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system under development by DRDO. Singh described the system as comparable in ambition to Russia's S-400 Triumf, saying it had already proved its worth during Operation Sindoor by providing a 'protective umbrella' over the region, invoking the Hindu mythological image of Govardhan Hill. Project Kusha is designed with three interceptor variants offering ranges of approximately 150 km, 250 km, and 350–400 km, and is intended to counter fighter aircraft including stealth platforms, drones, cruise missiles, and certain ballistic missile threats. The Defence Acquisition Council approved procurement of five squadrons for the Indian Air Force in 2023, with operational deployment expected between 2028 and 2030. Singh also referenced 'Mission Sudarshan Chakra,' announced by Prime Minister Modi in 2025, which aims to establish a comprehensive multi-layered missile defence shield for India by 2035, integrating Project Kusha with systems such as QRSAM, VSHORADS, ballistic missile defence assets, and future directed-energy weapons. The minister called on DRDO, the armed services, and industry partners to work as an integrated ecosystem and urged faster induction timelines and greater indigenous content in defence manufacturing.
What's missing
Neither source provides independent verification or technical assessment of Singh's claim that Project Kusha played a decisive role in Operation Sindoor; the assertion rests solely on the minister's statement.
What different sources said
- Times of IndiaCenter
India’s homegrown answer to S-400? Rajnath says Project Kusha is a game changer
- The HinduCenter
Our indigenous air defence shield Project Kusha will be a game changer, says Rajnath Singh
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