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 facility 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 asserted 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, using the occasion to champion Project Kusha, India's indigenous long-range surface-to-air missile system currently under development by DRDO. Singh described the system as comparable in ambition to Russia's S-400 Triumf, noting it would feature three interceptor variants with ranges of approximately 150 km, 250 km, and 350–400 km, designed to counter fighter aircraft, stealth platforms, drones, cruise missiles, and certain ballistic missiles. He credited the system with providing a 'protective umbrella' during Operation Sindoor, invoking the Hindu mythological image of Govardhan Hill to illustrate its defensive role. Project Kusha is expected to be integrated with the Indian Air Force's Integrated Air Command and Control System and forms a cornerstone of 'Mission Sudarshan Chakra,' Prime Minister Modi's initiative announced in 2025 to establish a multi-layered national missile defence shield by 2035. The Defence Acquisition Council granted Acceptance of Necessity for five squadrons in 2023, with operational deployment projected between 2028 and 2030. Singh also highlighted the evolving nature of modern warfare — encompassing AI, hypersonic weapons, electronic warfare, and autonomous platforms — and called for tighter collaboration among DRDO, defence public sector undertakings, private industry, startups, and academia to accelerate development-to-production timelines.
What's missing
Neither source specifies the precise nature or extent of Project Kusha's role during Operation Sindoor — it is unclear whether the system was deployed in a fully operational capacity or in a developmental/test configuration. Additionally, no independent technical verification of the claimed performance during the operation is provided.
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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