Indian Air Defence System List 2025: Features, Rang, the S-400 System & Importance

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India’s air defence systems are an important part country’s national security, as they protect against aerial threats, including enemy aircraft, missiles, and drones, by providing a robust shield against aerial threats.

India has developed a layered air defence strategy from surface-to-air missiles to advanced anti-ballistic missile programs to counter various threats ranging from enemy aircraft to intercontinental ballistic missiles. In this article we have mentioned a comprehensive overview of the Indian Air Defence System, a list of Indian Air Defence Systems, capabilities, and other information.

What is the Indian Air Defence System?

The Indian Air Defence System is a strategic combination of missile batteries, radar units, early warning systems, and command & control centers; all these are working in sync under the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) for real-time surveillance, detection, interception, and neutralization of aerial threats. The Indian Air Defence System covers:

• Short-range threats (low-flying aircraft, UAVs, drones)
• Medium-range aerial attacks (fighter jets, helicopters)
• Long-range and ballistic missile threats

India has a complete list of India Air Defence System options for a multi-layered air defence strategy, and each layer is designed to stop the threats at different altitudes and ranges, which makes the Indian Air Defence System strong against saturation strikes or surprise intrusions.

Also Read: Operation Sindoor

Indian Air Defence System List

There is a comprehensive list of Indian Air Defence Systems, mentioning both indigenous and imported systems, with their operational range and type:

Long-Range Air Defence Systems in India

This Air Defence System is designed to intercept threats like ballistic missiles and fighter jets at very long distances.

Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme

The Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme is a multi-tiered initiative started to cut off incoming ballistic missiles at both high and low altitudes. This program comprises two key interceptor systems:

Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) Missile

• Range: 300 to 2000 km
• Developed by: DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation), India
• Type: Exo-atmospheric Ballistic Missile Interceptor (Surface-to-Air Missile)
• Features: Radar tracks up to 200 targets at once and Intercepts missiles outside the atmosphere.
• Speed: Over 5 times the speed of sound 
• 

Advanced Air Defence (AAD) Missile

• Range: Up to 200 km
• Developed by: DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation), India
• Type: Endo-atmospheric Ballistic Missile Interceptor (Surface-to-Air Missile)
• Features: Uses Swordfish radar for target detection and tracking and is equipped with proximity-fused warhead for mid-air detonation
• Speed: Mach 4.5

Medium- and Short-Range Missile Systems (less than 100 km)

India has various surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems for intercepting aircraft, cruise missiles, and UAVs. These are operated by both the Indian Army and Air Force.

Akash Missile System

• Type: Medium-range Surface-to-Air Missile
• Range: Up to 25 km
• Developed by: DRDO and Bharat Electronics Ltd.
• Features: Can target aircraft, helicopters, drones, and subsonic cruise missiles. It’s already inducted into the Indian Army and Air Force.

Spyder (From Israel)

• Type: Short and Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile System
• Range: 15–35 km
• Origin: Israel
• Feature: Fast-reaction system capable of targeting aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and precision-guided munitions.

2K12 Kub (Kvadrat)

• Type: Mobile, medium-range surface-to-air missile system
• Range: Up to 25 km
• Developed by: NIIP (Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute) and Ulyanovsk Mechanical Plant
• Features: Can target engaging aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and cruise missiles and have command-guided semi-active radar homing in the terminal phase with the 1S91 “Straight Flush” radar for target acquisition and tracking.

Barak-8 (LR-SAM)

• Type: Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile
• Range: 70–100 km
• Jointly Developed by: DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)
• Role: Designed for both naval and land-based air defence, it defends against a wide range of aerial threats including aircraft, anti-ship missiles, and UAVs.

QRSAM (Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile)

• Type: Short-range Air Defence System
• Range: 25–30 km
• Developed by: DRDO
• Role: Designed for quick deployment in forward areas and effective against low-flying aerial threats.

DRDO’s Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Program

• Phases:
  • Phase 1: Targets missiles up to 2000 km range
  • Phase 2: Under development, will handle missiles with ranges of up to 5000 km
• Objective: To provide India a multi-tiered shield against incoming ballistic missile threats.

Legacy and Supplementary Systems

These are older systems of the Indian Air Defence System still used in smaller numbers or as backup.

S-125 Pechora

• Type: Short- to Medium-range Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM)
• Range: Up to 35 km (varies by missile variant)
• Developed by: Soviet Union (developed by NPO Almaz)
• Feature: Designed to engage aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and low-flying targets, and the missiles used are the V-600 (5V24) and V-601 missile series (dual-stage, solid-fuel). High-explosive fragmentation with proximity fuse

9K33 Osa-AK

• Type: Short-range, highly mobile Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system
• Range: Up to 15 km
• Developed by: Soviet Union (by KB-1 Design Bureau and others)
• Feature: Can engage aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and cruise missiles, and features command-guided radar homing with on-board guidance and tracking using the integrated 1S51M3 “Romb” radar system for both target acquisition and fire control

S-200 Angara (Retired)

• Type: Long-range, high-altitude Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM)
• Range: Up to 150 km (depending on variant)
• Developed by: Soviet Union (by Almaz Central Design Bureau)
• Feature: Can engage high-altitude aircraft, strategic bombers, and cruise missiles using command-guided radar homing with long-range P-14 “Tall King” radar for target detection. It features Mach 4-5 missile speed, up to 150 km range, and high-explosive fragmentation warheads for aerial target destruction.

Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) Systems 

9K35 Strela-10

• Type: Short-range, mobile Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system
• Range: Up to 5 km 
• Developed by: Soviet Union (by the Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute)
• Feature: Can engage aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and low-flying targets with infrared homing guidance using its integrated optical sighting system. It’s mounted on a tracked chassis for mobility, with ready-to-fire missiles and fast engagement capabilities (within 20-25 seconds).

2K22 Tunguska

• Type: Self-propelled, mobile, mobile short-range air defense system
• Range: Up to 8 km (for missile), Up to 3,500 m (for gun)
• Developed by: Soviet Union (by the Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute)
• Feature: Combines missiles and autocannon in a single vehicle for multi-role air defense, capable of engaging aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and precision-guided munitions. It integrates radar (for target acquisition and tracking) and infrared homing missiles (9M311), along with two 30mm autocannons for close-range defense. The system can operate autonomously, with rapid reaction times of around 5-10 seconds.

ZSU-23-4 Shilka

• Type: Self-propelled, mobile anti-aircraft gun system
• Range: Up to 2.5 km (effective range)
• Developed by: Soviet Union (by Uralvagonzavod)
• Feature: Equipped with four 23mm autocannons for high-rate, close-range air defense against aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs. It features an integrated target acquisition and tracking radar (the 1RL33 “Volna” radar), allowing it to engage targets effectively in low altitude and low-visibility conditions. The system has high mobility, being mounted on a tracked chassis, and can engage targets within 5–10 seconds of detection.

ZU-23-2

• Type: Towed or self-propelled, light anti-aircraft gun system
• Range: Up to 2.5 km (effective range)
• Developed by: Soviet Union (by Uralvagonzavod)
• Feature: Is a twin-barrel 23mm autocannon designed for short-range air defense against low-flying aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs. It is mounted on either a towed chassis or self-propelled vehicle for mobility and has a high rate of fire (~1,000 rounds per minute per barrel). The system is simple, reliable, and often used for point defense in close-range engagements.

Bofors 40 mm Gun

• Type: Anti-aircraft and anti-surface gun system
• Range: Up to 12,000 meters (effective range)
• Developed by: Sweden (by Bofors Defence)
• Feature: Is a high-rate-of-fire, automatic, dual-purpose gun, capable of engaging aircraft, helicopters, and surface targets. It features a fully automated loading mechanism and is typically mounted on mobile platforms such as naval ships and land vehicles. Known for its reliability and versatility, the system offers superior fire control and has been widely used by several countries in both naval and land-based air defense applications.

KPV Heavy Machine Gun

• Type: Heavy machine gun
• Range: Up to 2,000 meters
• Developed by: Soviet Union (by the Tula Arms Plant)
• Feature: Is a large-caliber, air-cooled weapon designed primarily for anti-aircraft and anti-vehicle roles. It is chambered in 14.5×114 mm, offering significant armor-piercing capability and effective engagement of light armored targets, aircraft, and helicopters. Mounted on a tripod, vehicle, or turret, it is known for its high rate of fire (~600-700 rounds per minute) and long-range accuracy.

What is the S-400 Advanced Air Defence System? 

The S-400 Triumph (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) is one of the best and most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems that India has as an Indian Defence system developed by Russia. The S-400 Triumph system is an upgraded version of the earlier S-300 system and is designed to defend the country against various airborne threats such as aircraft, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and even UAVs.

S-400 Advanced Air Defence System Overview

• Type: Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) System
• Range: Up to 400 km (depending on missile type)
• Altitude Range: Up to 30 km
• Developed by: Russia (by Almaz-Antey)

S-400 Advanced Air Defence System Features

• The S-400 uses different types of missiles, including the 40N6, 48N6, 9M96, and 9M100, allowing it to engage targets at varying ranges and altitudes, including ballistic and air-to-surface missile defense.
• Can engage a variety of targets, such as aircraft, UAVs, missiles, and ballistic projectiles like ICBMs or SRBMs.
• System’s effective engagement range can reach up to 400 km (with the 40N6 missile) and can target objects at altitudes up to 30 km.
• The S-400 Triumph system is equipped with multiple radars for target acquisition, tracking, and engagement, including the 36D6 and 92N6 radar systems. The system can at once track and engage up to 80 targets while guiding up to 160 missiles.

Indian Air Defence System Importance

The Indian Air Defence System plays an important role in safeguarding India’s airspace and maintaining national security. The Air Defence System protects critical assets, military installations, and civilian infrastructure from aerial threats, including aircraft, missiles, and UAVs, with their short-, medium-, and long-range missile systems, radars, and airborne defense platforms.

India can defend against numerous threats, including hostile aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drone incursions. The advanced systems integration, such as the S-400, Akash, and Barak-8, alongside indigenous technologies developed by DRDO, has enhanced India’s ability to respond effectively to any air-based threats, ensuring air superiority and strategic defense.

Conclusion

India’s air defence system shows the Indian supremacy to protect its airspace against modern aerial threats with a combination of indigenous systems and cutting-edge imports. India is moving towards a self-reliant and strategically superior air defence network. The continuous upgrades and investments in technology underscore India’s aim to build a secure and formidable aerial shield.

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Indian Air Defence System FAQs

What is the Indian Air Defence System?

India’s air defence system is a multi-layered network that detects, tracks, and neutralizes aerial threats such as enemy aircraft, missiles, and drones using various radars, missile systems, fighter jets, and command & control systems.

Why is air defence important for India?

Due to the vast borders, air defence systems ensures India can detect and neutralize threats early, protecting its population, military assets, and critical infrastructure.

What are the major missile systems used in India’s air defence?

The major missile systems are

• Akash Missile System – Medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM)
• Barak 8 – Long-range SAM developed with Israel
• S-400 Triumf – Advanced Russian long-range SAM
• SPYDER – Short and medium-range Israeli missile system

Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) & Advanced Air Defence (AAD) – For ballistic missile defense

What is the S-400, and why is it important?

 The S-400 Triumf is a Russian long-range air defense system that is capable of intercepting aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles at ranges up to 400 km. This system has significantly enhanced India's strategic deterrence and airspace security.

How is India’s air defence system coordinated?

The Indian Air Defence System are coordinated through the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS), which links radars, aircraft, missile systems, and command centers across the country for real-time threat monitoring and response.