Indigenous Akashteer integral in thwarting Pakistan’s aerial attacks
The Indian Army inducted the automated Akashteer system –– bought from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for ₹1,982-crore –– only a year ago.
A locally developed air defence control and reporting system, called Akashteer, emerged as the centrepiece of India’s air defence grid during the May-7-10 military confrontation with Pakistan involving fighter jets, missiles, armed drones, and fierce artillery and rocket duels; it punctured multiple waves of Pakistani aerial attacks on Indian military installations, airbases and civilian areas by guaranteeing prompt detection and targeting of the incoming threats, officials aware of the matter said on Wednesday.
The Indian Army inducted the automated Akashteer system –– bought from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for ₹1,982-crore –– only a year ago.
The agile system, an integral part of the Indian military’s multi-layered air defence (AD) grid, played a vital role in detecting, identifying, tracking and engaging Pakistani missiles and drones during the four-day clash that stoked fears of a full-blown shooting war between the nuclear-armed neighbours, the officials said, asking not to be named.
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“It has proved its mettle on the battlefield. Ground-based air defence systems integrated with Akashteer made it hell for Pakistan’s air misadventures,” BEL said on Wednesday.
The system essentially integrates a raft of AD sensors and weapons, expedites decision-making and tightens the sensor-to-shooter loop for swift detection and destruction of hostile targets, said one of the officials cited above.
It is integrated with the Indian Air Force’s Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS), the beating heart of the military’s resilient, four-tiered AD shield that Pakistan couldn’t punch through despite launching wave after wave of attacks.
“Akashteer is a combination of hardware and software systems in mobile command posts with fully integrated high-tech communication systems. It significantly sharpened the army’s posture and allowed it to control the AD battle by providing ground units the complete battle picture to respond in a swift and integrated way to neutralise threats,” said a second official.
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On the intervening night of May 7-8, Pakistan launched missiles and drones in its attempt to engage several military targets in India’s north and west including Awantipora, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj. Similar attacks were launched during the night on May 9-10.
The neighbouring military, however, could not penetrate India’s AD grid.
“Whether in drone warfare, layered air defence, or electronic warfare, Operation Sindoor marks a milestone in India’s journey towards technological self-reliance in military operations,” the information and broadcasting ministry said on Wednesday.
India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7 when the army and IAF hit nine terror camps inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, killing more than 100 terrorists; it was New Delhi’s direct military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror strike that killed 26 people. And between the strike on the terror camps and the calling of the ceasefire on May 10, the IAF struck multiple military targets in Pakistan.
“Beyond tactical brilliance, what stood out was the seamless integration of indigenous high-tech systems into national defence,” the I&B ministry added in its statement.
The locally produced military hardware that packed a formidable punch during the military confrontation with Pakistan included Akash surface-to-air missiles, the Samar (surface-to-air missile for assured retaliation) system and several counter-drone weapons.
India’s AD systems, combining the assets of the IAF, army, and navy, performed with exceptional synergy, the I&B ministry said. “These systems, built over the last decade with continuous government investment, proved to be force multipliers during the operation.
They played a crucial role in ensuring that both civilian and military infrastructure across India remained largely unaffected during the enemy retaliation.”
The threats countered by the Indian forces include Chinese-origin PL-15 air-to-air missiles, long-range rockets, loitering munitions, and Turkish-origin drones.
India’s AD grid operated with multiple weapons across four levels, depending on the distance of the incoming target. The weapons that formed part of the grid included the S-400 system, medium-range surface to air missile system (Barak 8), the Pechora air defence system, Spyder quick-reaction missiles, and L-70 and Zu-23-2B guns.
“Putting together and operationalisation of this potent AD environment has been possible over the last decade due to unwavering budgetary and policy support provided by government in acquiring state-of-the art equipment and weapon systems,” said Air Marshal AK Bharti, director general air operations, said on May 12.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Pakistani aircraft, missiles and drones failed before India’s powerful air defence system.
