Policy Update
Vinita Sharma
Introduction
In modern times, Air defence has emerged as an important part of the national security of India. Air defence is no longer just about keeping enemy aircraft out of the airspace but has grown in scope in the wake of the evolution of warfare and the widespread adoption of modern missile systems, drone warfare, electronic warfare and cyber warfare.
It now includes a coordinated system of missile launchers, surveillance radars, Command and Control centres, electronic warfare functions and counter-drone systems to identify and neutralise aerial threats in real-time. The security scenario in India has evolved significantly, largely as a result of China’s rapid military modernisation, Pakistan’s advances in missile and drone technologies, and the global transition towards network-centric warfare, which has hastened the modernisation of India’s air defence ecosystem.
Recent conflicts, such as the Russia–Ukraine war, have further highlighted the growing importance of integrated air defence systems and counter-drone operations. The Indian Air Force (IAF), one of the world’s largest and most capable air forces, is a key component of India’s air defence system. India has evolved its air defence structure from a mere conventional air defence system to a technologically integrated, multi-layered one over the years. As part of this modernisation, the following advanced systems are being introduced:
S-400 Triumf, the indigenous missile system Akash, Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD), the Air Warning System, and the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS). India has also been focusing on local production of defence goods under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” scheme and enhancing its proficiency in electronic warfare, artificial intelligence and counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS). India’s air defence strategy is shifting as future conflicts are increasingly taking the form of drone swarms, cyber operations, electronic warfare, and information warfare.
Indian Aerospace Power
India’s air force is the 4th -largest air force in the world with full-spectrum capability. It is fully capable of providing air power in direct support of national security requirements. The Indian Air Force (IAF) fields conventional precision-strike and potent air defence capabilities, supersonic cruise missiles, force multipliers such as air-to-air refuellers and AWACS aircraft, uninhabited aerial vehicles and is capable of strategic surveillance and tactical reconnaissance.
It has also acquired capabilities of nuclear deterrence and retaliation. The prowess of Indian air power in a future war or its capability to deter/coerce will, to a large degree, depend upon India’s ability to absorb and build upon transformative trends in the application of air power. The Indian Air Force has fought three major wars (1948, 1965 and 1971) against Pakistan and participated in the 1962 Indo-China war.
The air defence ecosystem in India has changed dramatically from relying on merely conventional aircraft to a technologically integrated, multi-layered defence system that is capable of tackling emerging challenges in the air domain in all forms of warfare. The growth of India’s air defence strategy has been influenced by the increasing regional security threats, such as the near doubling of China’s military modernisation efforts, Pakistan’s fast missile modernisation and drone development, and the ongoing transformation in the world towards network-centric and unmanned warfare.
In this context, India’s air defence strategy has been increasingly leaning towards the integration of long-range missile systems, indigenous air defence platforms, surveillance networks, electronic warfare systems and counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS). This is built on India’s overall air power potential. The IAF is equipped with precision-strike platforms, advanced air defence systems, airborne early warning and control systems (AWACS), aerial refuelling assets, surveillance and reconnaissance assets, as well as an increasing fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Besides conventional deterrence, India’s strategic air power also helps in nuclear deterrence and second-strike capability. In order to be effective in the future, Indian air power will have to ride the wave of technological evolution, especially in the areas of integrated air defence, artificial intelligence, drone warfare, and electronic battlespace management.
India has upgraded its capability to shoot down airborne systems in the last two decades. The induction of advanced platforms like the S-400 and Spyder, the domestically produced Akash, and the ongoing development of the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system reflect its intent to build a formidable air defence network. These capabilities have been enhanced by the introduction of long-range early-warning radars and their integration into the overall air defence network. Some of the significant developments in India’s modern air defence architecture have been the induction of –
S-400 Triumf
The Russian-made S-400 Triumf air defence system is one of the most notable strides in India’s contemporary air defence system. The S-400s are one of the world’s most powerful long-range surface-to-air missile systems, acquired under a contract signed in 2018 by both Russia and India. The system is able to detect, track and neutralise several air threats at once and can intercept aircraft, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and some types of unmanned aerial systems up to 400 kilometres away.
The deployment of the S-400 near India’s western and north fronts significantly boosts India’s deterrence capability by providing defence against adversaries beyond their own airspace. Its induction indicates India’s aim of developing multi-layered, technologically advanced capabilities of aerial denial in response to threats in the region.
Strategic Impact: With the S-400 deployed near its borders, India is reinforcing its Anti-access/Area denial (A2/AD) capability, which not just ensures protection of its own airspace but also acts as a deterrent and extends beyond its territory to safeguard key command posts and strategic facilities.
Psychological Role: In addition to its physical defensive function, the S-400 has a symbolic role in information warfare, influencing public perceptions and geopolitical signals in situations of escalation.
Akash Air Defence System
Indigenous development has become a major thrust of India’s air defence modernisation, along with the import of high-end systems. The Akash missile system developed by the DRDO is another measure of India’s thrust on self-reliance in the defence sector as part of the larger initiative of “Atmanirbhar Bharat.” Akash is a medium-range surface-to-air missile system that can be used to target aircraft, helicopters, drones and cruise missiles.
The system can be moved and deployed on different types of terrain landscapes to give flexible air defence coverage for military bases, strategic infrastructure and forward operational areas. It is not only for its operational usefulness but also for its economic sustainability. The advent of today’s wars has shown that high-cost interceptor missiles used to target cheap drones can result in a very large cost imbalance. In that context, systems like Akash offer an interception capability to India at a relatively low cost in a layered defence.
Akash weapon system is an air defence system for the defence of high-value vulnerable points against low-level, high-speed, and high-density air raids. The Akash weapon system consists of one group control centre (GCC) and several fire control Batteries. Each fire control battery consists of four Akash self-propelled launchers (ASPLs). Each launcher carries three Akash medium-range surface-to-air missiles (SAM). The New Generation Akash (Akash-NG) was successfully flight-tested in July 2021, with the full weapon system – including radar, command-and-control, and launcher elements – participating in the trial. Akash strengthens India’s ability to engage aircraft, helicopters, drones, and cruise missiles while supporting a more affordable and sustainable layered defence structure.
The Integrated Air Defence
There is a general trend towards integrated air defence, which is associated with the change in air warfare. In the modern era, air defence systems are no longer individual missile batteries but networked systems that connect radars, surveillance systems, communication networks, satellites, command centres, and interception platforms. The Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) is a significant initiative in India towards having real-time situational awareness and coordinated air defence operations.
IACCS provides target detection, tracking, threat assessment and interception decision making at a rapid rate with the integration of data from multiple sensors and platforms. This integration can greatly enhance the efficiency and speed of response in the event of a high-intensity conflict. The rise in importance of integrated systems also notes the transformation of warfare into network-centric warfare, where information dominance and sensor fusion are just as critical as traditional firepower.
Case Study – Indo-Pakistan War of 1971: Western Front and the Evolution of Indian Air Power
During the Indo-Pak war of 1971, India had a defensive military stance and had also been preparing for ‘calibrated’ offensive operations on the Western Front. In the Western Front, the Indian strategy was not of rapid offensives to liberate Bangladesh, but to not lose ground, contain Pakistani offensives and to ensure that there was no strategic setback in the East till the final battle took place.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) in this overall scenario had to play a pivotal role in countering the actions of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), supporting the Indian Army ground operations and defensive manoeuvres, in making strategic strikes and maintaining an aerial pressure in various sectors. Air warfare on the Western Front is officially said to have begun on 3 December 1971 when the PAF attacked air bases like Srinagar, Ambala, Awantipur, Pathankot, Agra, Jodhpur and Utarlai. However, the strikes were not to cause much damage as the aircraft was dispersed, hardened shelters, camouflage and operational readiness of India’s troops prevented it and the IAF responded swiftly with retaliatory and sustained strikes.
The IAF responded with a counter offensive operation against Pakistani airports (Sargodha, Mianwali, Murid, Peshawar, Chak Jhumra, Masroor, Talhar and Drigh Road). Canberras, Su‑7s, Hunters and MiG‑21s flew strikes and MiG‑21s and Gnats flew fighter cover.
On 3rd December 1971, heavy ground combat erupted in the Chamb area with IAF affording close air support. Initial targets were Pakistan’s logistics nodes and rear concentrations to reduce friendly fire. Frontlines clarified and the IAF escalated its operations against armoured groups & supply routes – by 7th December, the IAF had slowed Pakistan’s momentum. Fast jet aircraft were restricted to use in the hilly terrain of Poonch and Harvards and converted transports (AN-12) were deployed for support and bombing operations, a good example of versatility.
The operational inefficiencies detected were due to the lack of effectiveness in the acquisition of targets and suboptimal communications between Tactical Air Centres (TACs), Joint Operations Centres and strike aircraft, and enemy AAM and PAF interference. However, Indian armours were greatly supported by IAF strikes and were able to interdict reinforcement convoys, fuel depots, rail yards and communications.
The Battle of Longewala was an example of the impact of tactical air power. Indian troops spotted a significant Pakistani armoured incursion toward Jaisalmer on 4 December and Pakistani columns were struck by the Indian Air Force several times from bases in Jaisalmer, forcing some 40 tanks to be destroyed or damaged and putting the attack on hold. Strategic targets in Pakistan were targeted in Karachi, Attock and Sui in order to sabotage the country’s fuel and supply chain in these areas, with the Canberras and Hunters doing the job. Aerial intelligence was vital in the modern conflict, and reconnaissance missions (c. 139 photo sorties) furnished the intelligence and battle damage data.
Strategic Significance:
The air defence industry is strategically crucial for India as it plays a key role in the defence of the territory, deterrence, and security of the critical military infrastructure. A layered system makes it difficult for the adversaries to enter the Indian airspace and makes the entry of the adversaries more expensive, particularly in sensitive border areas. It is especially important in a regional context in which the use of drones, modernisation of missile systems, and electronic warfare are increasingly common.
The ecosystem also symbolises India’s overall trend of self-reliance and technological adaptation. The systems, such as Akash, are an example of indigenous capability, and IACCS is an example of the need to integrate sensors, shooters and command networks. Strategically, it’s not just the purchase of individual platforms, but the establishment of an air defence system tailored for future multi-domain warfare.
Challenges for India’s Defence Air Ecosystem
The emergence of drone warfare is one of the biggest challenges today faced by India’s air defence sector. The Russia-Ukraine war has been a recent example of how an inexpensive UAS can provide disruption to a technologically advanced military. Small drones, loitering munitions and swarms are difficult to detect with traditional radar and missile defence systems because of their low radar signatures, low altitudes and ability to saturate a target.
This has necessitated a rethinking of conventional air defence doctrine by the military forces around the world, including India. The drone threat landscape in India is quite complex due to the rise of UAVs being used for surveillance, smuggling, and even offensive drone operations near the country’s borders. For instance, Pakistan-based actors have repeatedly used small drones to drop weapons, explosives, narcotics and communication equipment across the Punjab and Jammu borders, posing a major threat to India’s border security and facilitating cross-border terrorism.
The drone strike on the Indian Air Force Station at Jammu in 2021, in which drones laden with explosives targeted military infrastructure, was the first of its kind on an Indian military facility, and highlighted the changing nature of aerial threats. The difficulty lies in the economy of making low-cost drones versus high-cost interceptor missiles. In response, India has stepped up its work on counter-drone technology, including concepts for layered interception, directed-energy and electronic jamming, radar integration, and systems to intercept drones.
In response to these emerging threats, indigenous anti-drone technologies and an integrated counter-UAS (C-UAS) grid are being integrated into the overall air defence architecture. Another critical dimension of modern air defence is the growing overlap between military operations and information warfare. In contemporary conflicts, defence systems increasingly serve not only operational purposes but also symbolic and psychological roles within digital information ecosystems. During periods of military escalation, social media narratives surrounding systems such as the S-400 often shape public perception, strategic messaging, and geopolitical signalling. Consequently, air defence capabilities today operate simultaneously within physical and informational battlespaces.
Conclusion
In strategic terms, India’s evolving air defence ecosystem reflects the country’s recognition that future conflicts will involve a combination of conventional air power, missile warfare, drone swarms, cyber operations, electronic warfare, and information manipulation. The effectiveness of India’s defence posture will therefore depend not solely upon individual weapon systems, but upon the successful integration of indigenous capability development, network-centric operations, technological adaptation, and sustainable defence economics.
The other important aspect of contemporary air defence is the convergence between the two fields – military and information warfare. Today, defence systems have become multi-faceted and play both operational and symbolic and/or psychological functions in the context of digital information ecosystems. When there is a military escalation, the narratives online about the S-400 or other similar systems can influence public opinion, strategic messaging, and geopolitical signalling.
As such, today’s air defence capabilities are conducted simultaneously in physical and informational battle spaces. Strategically, China’s evolving air defence picture showcases India’s awareness of the nature of future conflict where conventional air power, missile warfare, drone swarms, cyber warfare, electronic warfare and information manipulation will all play a part. However, the future effectiveness of India’s defence posture will rely not just on developing individual weapons systems, but on the successful integration of indigenous capability development, network-centric operations, technological adaptation, and sustainable defence economics
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About the author:
Vinita Sharma is a Research & Editorial Intern at IMPRI. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Defence & Strategic Studies at Central University of Gujarat, Vadodara. Her research interests include national security, defence studies, international relations, and geopolitics.
Acknowledgment:
The author extends her sincere gratitude to the IMPRI team for their expert guidance and constructive feedback throughout the process. I also extend my sincere thanks to Ameya Satam and Shreya Dixit for their valuable feedback and insights.
Disclaimer:
This article is intended for academic purposes only. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of any government institution.
