- India’s indigenous Akashteer air defence system intercepted all Pakistani aerial attacks, showcasing real-time automation, radar integration, and a major leap in Indian military capability
- Akashteer provides a common and real-time air picture to all involved parties (control room, radars and defence gun), enabling coordinated air defence operations
- Akashteer connects smoothly with IACCS (Indian Air Force) and TRIGUN (Indian Navy), creating a clear and real-time picture of the battlefield
NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, MAY 18
India’s fully indigenous, automated air defence control and reporting system, Akashteer, played a crucial role in thwarting Pakistan’s aerial attacks – using imported missiles, drones and aircraft – intercepting and neutralising every inbound projectile during the recent military stand-off between the two countries.
Akashteer, which is at the core of the Indian Army’s air defence (AAD) system, stopped a barrage of missiles and drones from Pakistan on the night of May 9 and 10, acting like an invisible shield.
Akashteer is part of the broader C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) framework, working in coordination with other systems. The system can automatically detect, track and engage enemy aircraft, drones and missiles. Akashteer gathers data from various sources, processes it and allows for automated, real-time engagement decisions.
Integrated with sensors like Tactical Control Radar (Reporter), stand-alone medium range all weather Surveillance Radar 3D TCR, Low-Level Lightweight Radar and the radar of Akash Weapon System, Akashteer offers a common, real-time air picture to the security forces on the ground and in the control rooms, enabling coordinated air defense operations.
Unlike traditional air defence models that rely 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.
Akashteer, which is being billed as a “seismic shift in warfare strategy,” connects smoothly with the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) of the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy’s advanced maritime domain awareness system Trigun, enabling the quick and effective use of both offensive and defensive weapons.
Manufactured by state-run Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Akashteer was inducted into the Indian Army around a year ago.
While Pakistan relied on imported HQ-9 and HQ-16 systems that failed to detect and intercept Indian strikes, Akashteer showcased India’s dominance in real-time, automated air defence warfare, the Union ministry of information and broadcasting said.
Akashteer is a product of India’s growing defence manufacturing ecosystem. Under the Make in India programme, the country is rapidly moving towards self-reliance in defence production. India has set a target of ₹3 lakh crore in defence production by 2029. Currently, 65% of defence equipment is manufactured domestically—a reversal from earlier trends where imports dominated the sector. This transformation is powered by contributions from 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), over 430 licensed companies, and nearly 16,000 MSMEs, alongside private sector participation accounting for 21% of the output.
The indigenous defence portfolio now includes critical platforms such as the Dhanush and ATAGS artillery systems, Arjun Main Battle Tank, LCA Tejas, ALH, LUH, and a range of naval vessels including destroyers, corvettes and aircraft carriers. Akashteer stands tall among these as a symbol of India’s advanced technological capabilities and strategic clarity.
In an exclusive interaction with this correspondent, Vishal Kansagara, an Ahmedabad-based independent military analyst and writer, said, “So far, no country in the world has become self-reliant in defence equipment production. Our visionary scientists Vikram Sarabhai, Missile Man of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam with the support of the government have contributed a lot to the development of the space sector and the indigenous production of world-class, cutting-edge defence products which in turn strengthened our Armed Forces in modern warfare.”
Experts across the world are calling Akashteer a “seismic shift in warfare strategy”. With this system, India has entered the elite club of nations with fully integrated, automated air defence command and control capability. It doesn’t just see faster – it decides faster, and it strikes faster than anything fielded globally.
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