New Delhi: India’s DRDO Project Kusha has entered an important stage after the reported first developmental flight test of its M1 interceptor. The indigenous long-range air defence programme is designed to create a multi-layered shield against aircraft, drones, cruise missiles and other advanced aerial threats. DRDO-hosted material has previously described Project Kusha as a three-tier system with interceptors planned for progressively longer engagement ranges.
The latest development is significant because the programme is intended to give India a powerful home-grown long-range air defence capability and reduce dependence on imported systems.
What is Project Kusha
Project Kusha is an indigenous long-range surface-to-air missile programme being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
DRDO material from 2023 described the programme as being designed to detect and neutralise threats such as stealth fighters, aircraft, ballistic and cruise missiles, precision-guided weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The programme is also commonly referred to as the Extended Range Air Defence System (ERADS).
It is planned around multiple interceptor missiles so that threats can be engaged at different distances, creating overlapping layers of protection.
Project Kusha: M1 Interceptor Marks a Major Development Step
According to the latest report, DRDO has successfully carried out the initial developmental flight test of the Project Kusha M1 interceptor from the Integrated Test Range at APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.
The M1 is reported to be the first and shortest-range interceptor in the Kusha family, with an engagement range of around 150 km.
The successful developmental test is an important step, but it does not mean the complete Kusha weapon system is operational yet. Developmental and user trials are still required before induction.
M2 Interceptor to Extend the Defence Layer
Attention is now expected to move towards the more capable M2 interceptor. Earlier DRDO-hosted material described Project Kusha as having interceptor layers of around 150 km, 250 km and 350 km, while newer reports indicate the outer layer could eventually approach 400 km.
The M2 is therefore expected to provide the middle layer of the Kusha air defence network, extending interception capability to roughly 250 km. Such a range could allow Indian forces to engage dangerous airborne targets well before they reach strategically important areas.
M3 Could Give Kusha Its Longest Reach
The M3 is expected to become Project Kusha’s longest-range interceptor. Recent reporting places its planned engagement range at roughly 350–400 km, although final operational performance will depend on development and testing.
At such distances, a long-range interceptor could potentially be used against important airborne platforms detected by India’s wider sensor network. These could include large military aircraft and other high-value airborne threats operating far from the defended location.
How Project Kusha’s Three-Layer System Could Work
The biggest advantage of Project Kusha is its planned layered architecture. Instead of depending on one missile for every target, different interceptors can be used according to the threat’s distance, altitude and characteristics.
The planned structure is broadly:
- M1: around 150 km engagement range
- M2: around 250 km engagement range
- M3: approximately 350 km, with some recent reports putting the eventual maximum near 400 km
DRDO-hosted reporting from 2023 confirmed that the programme was envisaged as a three-tier air defence system with 150 km, 250 km and 350 km interceptor classes.
What Threats Could Project Kusha Counter
Project Kusha is being developed for a broad range of modern airborne threats. DRDO-hosted information has identified stealth fighters, aircraft, ballistic and cruise missiles, precision-guided munitions and UAVs among the types of threats the programme is intended to address.
This is important because modern air attacks can involve several types of weapons arriving from different directions and at different speeds.
A layered network gives defenders more than one opportunity to detect, track and engage an incoming threat.
Project Kusha and India’s Existing Air Defence Network
Kusha is not expected to operate alone. India already uses several types of air defence systems, including the indigenous Akash family and the MRSAM system.
The government has highlighted the growing role of indigenous systems in India’s air defence. A recent PIB release said systems including Akash missiles, anti-drone capabilities and airborne surveillance platforms supported the Armed Forces during Operation Sindoor.
DRDO-hosted reporting has also discussed integrating Project Kusha into India’s wider air-defence architecture alongside existing systems. This could help create a broader network in which sensors, command systems and different missile batteries work together.
Why Project Kusha Matters for India
The programme has strategic importance because long-range air defence technology is difficult and expensive to develop. Building such systems domestically can give India greater control over upgrades, production, maintenance and future improvements.
It could also strengthen the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat push in the defence sector. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) is already preparing manufacturing infrastructure linked to future programmes including Kusha. DRDO-hosted reporting in April 2026 noted BEL’s plans for a new facility in the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor for missiles, radar systems and programmes including Kusha.
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