Akashteer: India’s New Air Defence Shield
India has made a significant leap in its air defence capabilities with the successful deployment of its fully indigenous air defence command system, Akashteer. Developed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, the system has already proven its battlefield effectiveness during Operation Sindoor, neutralizing aerial threats from Pakistan and protecting critical infrastructure across northern India.
Akashteer Air Defence
Akashteer is a cutting-edge, automated Air Defence Control and Reporting System designed to streamline the surveillance and response mechanism for low-level air threats. It integrates multiple radar feeds, communication systems, and weapon platforms to create a seamless air defence network capable of detecting, tracking, and intercepting aerial targets in real-time.
The system is highly mobile and can be deployed across diverse terrains, including high-altitude and border regions. It is tailored specifically for the Indian Army’s operational requirements and has undergone rigorous testing under live battlefield conditions.
Indigenous Defence System
The Akashteer system represents a milestone in India’s effort toward self-reliance in the defence sector. Its development significantly reduces dependency on foreign imports while offering robust, scalable architecture for future upgrades.
Built with in-house technologies, Akashteer supports automatic target acquisition, threat classification, and real-time coordination with both manned and unmanned weapon systems. This advancement strengthens India’s defence ecosystem and boosts domestic manufacturing in alignment with the government’s Make in India campaign.
Role in Operation Sindoor
Akashteer played a vital role in defending against the May 9-10 aerial onslaught from Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. According to military sources, Akashteer successfully detected and facilitated the interception of both drones and short-range missile threats launched at key installations in Jammu and Punjab.
Its real-time threat analysis and automated command dissemination ensured that response units were activated within seconds of threat detection, leading to zero damage on Indian soil. This performance demonstrated the operational maturity and battlefield readiness of the system.
As India faces growing security challenges from adversarial neighbors and non-state actors, the success of Akashteer reflects the transformative shift in Indian defence capability—from reactive strategies to proactive, technologically empowered deterrence.
