When Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Mission Sudarshan Chakra in his Independence Day speech, he presented India’s most ambitious defence programme since independence—a multi-layered air defence shield to guard the nation’s skies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Image credit: PTI)
A Vision for Secure Skies
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Mission Sudarshan Chakra in his Independence Day speech, he presented India’s most ambitious defence programme since independence—a multi-layered air defence shield to guard the nation’s skies. Named after Lord Vishnu’s divine discus, this project aims to protect 1.4 billion Indians, key cities, and critical infrastructure from missiles, drones, and modern aerial threats. The Sudarshan Chakra is more than just another weapon system. It shows India’s determination to become self-reliant (Atmanirbhar) in defence, reducing dependence on foreign suppliers and building homegrown solutions for complex security challenges.
Why Size Matters
India is a huge country—around 150 times larger than Israel, which is almost the size of Meghalaya. Israel’s Iron Dome works because a few batteries can cover most of its small territory. But India, with long borders and diverse terrains, cannot put defences everywhere. That is why the Sudarshan Chakra will focus on protecting vital areas: National Capital Region (Delhi) Military towns like Ambala and Pune Mumbai’s financial district Tech hubs like Bengaluru and Hyderabad Ports, nuclear plants, oil refineries, and power stations This selective protection ensures the most critical sites remain safe, even if not every inch of the country can be covered.
Facing Stronger Enemies
Unlike Israel, which mainly faces unguided rockets from militias, India faces powerful state adversaries: Pakistan: Has ballistic missiles, cruise missiles like Babur, and cheap drone swarms tested in Operation Sindoor (2025). Many of these are nuclear-capable, meaning even one failure could be catastrophic. China: Has the world’s largest missile arsenal under the PLA Rocket Force, including hypersonic glide vehicles (DF-17) and long-range missiles like the DF-21D “carrier killer” and DF-26 “Guam killer”. It also fields stealth aircraft and drones to bypass air defences. This makes India’s shield fundamentally different from Israel’s Iron Dome. It must stop everything from small drones to hypersonic missiles, across vast distances.
The Layered Shield
The Sudarshan Chakra is built as a system of systems, not a single weapon. Outer Layer: Satellites and long-range radars for early warning. Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD): Phase-I: Interceptors for missiles up to 2,000 km range. Phase-II: Recently tested interceptor for 5,000 km class nuclear missiles. Project Kusha: Indigenous long-range interceptors (150 km, 250 km, 350 km). Russian S-400: Long-range protection already deployed. Israeli Barak-8 & Spyder: For medium and short-range interception. Indian Akash & QRSAM: For area defence and mobile protection. Energy Weapons (lasers): Cheap counters to drones and swarms. At the centre is IACCS (Integrated Air Command and Control System), which links all radars, missiles, and weapons into one network. This ensures an alert from one sensor can trigger an interceptor from another system instantly.
The Cost Challenge
Air defence is not just about technology—it is also about affordability. An interceptor missile can cost $1–5 million, while the drone or rocket it destroys may cost only a few thousand. This “cost-exchange problem” means attackers spend less while defenders spend more. India’s solution: Use cheap Indian-made interceptors for basic threats. Deploy lasers and electronic warfare to counter swarms of drones at minimal cost. Save expensive missiles for long-range and nuclear threats. Build indigenous supply chains to avoid dependency and keep costs sustainable.
Lessons from Operation Sindoor
In May 2025, during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan launched waves of cheap drones and Chinese-origin missiles. India’s integrated network under IACCS successfully stopped most of them, showing how layered defence and sensor fusion can blunt mixed salvos. This battle proved the concept. Now the challenge is to scale it up with more radars, interceptors, faster data links, and better battle management.
Global Comparisons
US: Uses separate systems like GMD, Aegis, and THAAD for different threats, but no full nationwide shield. Russia: Protects Moscow and key bases with S-400 and S-500, leaving much territory uncovered. China: Protects major cities and bases with HQ-series missiles and invests in hypersonic defence. Israel: Uses Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow systems for different ranges, focusing on selective engagement to save costs. India is combining these lessons but adapting them to a subcontinent-scale battlefield with state-level adversaries.
Strategic Impact
The Sudarshan Chakra will reshape South Asia’s balance of power: Pakistan: Its missile-based deterrence will weaken. China: Will have to invest more to counter India’s shield. India: Gains confidence, escalation control, and strategic autonomy. Global Standing: India can share its tech and strengthen defence ties with friendly nations.
Looking Ahead
The Sudarshan Chakra is not a fixed wall but a living, evolving shield. It can absorb new radars, missiles, lasers, AI tools, and even quantum systems as they mature. Its flexibility is its greatest strength. In the coming decade, this shield will stand as proof of India’s engineering skill, strategic vision, and determination to be self-reliant. More than just defence, it is a symbol of India’s rise as a global power, capable of protecting its people and shaping its destiny.
(Girish Linganna is an award-winning science communicator and a Defence, Aerospace & Geopolitical Analyst. He is the Managing Director of ADD Engineering Components India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. Contact: girishlinganna@gmail.com)
(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author’s own and do not reflect those of DNA)
