The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is working on the Project Kusha to operationally deploy its own long-range air defense system by 2028-29.

• Aim – To develop India’s own Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (LR-SAM)
• Jointly developed with – Israel Aerospace Industries, Israel’s major aerospace and aviation manufacturers
• Ranges – Hit hostile targets at 150 km, 250 km, and 350 km ranges.

• Features – The LR-SAM system will be a mobile platform equipped with long range surveillance and fire control radars.
• It seeks to establish a formidable 3 layered defense system to detect and destroy incoming stealth fighters, aircraft, drones, cruise missiles and precision-guided munitions.
• It will be made capable of interacting with an integrated command and control system (IACCS), an automated air defence command and control centre used by the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The ground systems include Igla, OSA-AK-M, Pechora missiles, Spyder quick-reaction missiles, indigenous Akash area defence missiles and the Barak-8 medium-range SAM systems.