‘It listened, calculated, struck’: What is Akashteer, India’s silent warrior that rattled Pakistan?
Akashteer is India’s fully indigenous, automated air defence system that precisely intercepts and neutralises incoming aerial threats in real time.
As Pakistan launched its deadliest attack on Indian military and civilian areas on the night of May 9 and 10, Akashteer, India's advanced air defence system, emerged as a silent warrior that detected, tracked and neutralised a barrage of missiles and drones.
“It did not roar like a fighter jet or flash like a missile. It listened. It calculated. It struck. This invisible shield, Akashteer, is no longer a concept confined to defence journals,” the defence ministry said in a statement.
Akashteer is India’s fully indigenous and automated Air Defence Control and Reporting System, designed to intercept and neutralise incoming aerial threats with precision.
What stood between the incoming projectiles and their intended targets was not just cutting-edge technology, but a testament to years of commitment under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Akashteer proves India’s air defence edge over Pakistan’s imported systems
While Pakistan depended on imported HQ-9 and HQ-16 systems, which failed to detect and intercept Indian strikes, Akashteer demonstrated India’s technological self-reliance and superiority in real-time, automated air defence warfare.
The ministry of defence has hailed Akashteer as a breakthrough in air defence warfare, saying that the system “sees, decides, and strikes faster than anything the world has fielded.”
Designed for real-time threat response, Akashteer integrates multiple radar systems to create a seamless, automated shield. This integration not only enhances accuracy and coordination but also significantly reduces the risk of friendly fire, enabling swift engagement of hostile targets while safeguarding friendly aircraft in contested airspace, the ministry said.
The system’s sensors include the Tactical Control Radar REPORTER, 3D Tactical Control Radars, Low-Level Lightweight Radar, and the radar of the Akash Weapon System—all working in tandem to deliver unmatched situational awareness and response capability.
Designed to detect, track and neutralise enemy drones, missiles and aircraft
The defence ministry said that Akashteer is not about brute force; it is about intelligent warfare. The system provides a common, real-time air picture to all involved parties—control room, radars, and Defence Gun—enabling coordinated air defence operations.
It is designed to automate detection, tracking, and engagement of enemy aircraft, drones, and missiles. Akashteer integrates various radar systems, sensors, and communication technologies into a single operational framework. It gathers data from multiple sources, processes it, and allows for automated, real-time engagement decisions.
Akashteer is part of the broader C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) framework, working in coordination with other systems. The vehicle-based system is mobile and easier to handle in hostile environments.
Unlike traditional air defence models relying on ground-based radars and manual decisions, Akashteer enables autonomous monitoring of low-level airspace in battle zones and efficient control of Ground-Based Air Defence Weapon Systems.
This marks a clear shift in India’s strategic principle—from passive defence to proactive retaliation. Its seamless integration with India’s larger C4ISR ecosystem allows the Army, Navy, and Air Force to operate with unmatched synergy.
India’s indigenous air defence powerhouse
The defence ministry also highlighted that Akashteer is just one part of a rapidly expanding ecosystem of indigenous defence platforms transforming India’s war-fighting capabilities.
The Make in India initiative has fueled this growth, leading to advanced military systems like the Dhanush Artillery Gun System, Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun, Light Specialist Vehicles, High Mobility Vehicles, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), Weapon Locating Radar, 3D Tactical Control Radar, and Software Defined Radio (SDR), alongside naval assets such as destroyers, indigenous aircraft carriers, submarines, frigates, corvettes, fast patrol vessels, fast attack craft, and offshore patrol vessels.
