Mission Sudarshan Chakra aims to create a multi-layered defence grid using kinetic and directed energy weapons.
India successfully tested integrated air defence systems and laser weapons in 2025.
Operation Sindoor against Pakistan showcased Akashteer’s role in neutralising missile and drone threats.
Mission Sudarshan Chakra Will Be India’s ‘Iron Dome’, Says CDS Chauhan
Strapline: National defence shield to integrate multi-domain sensors, AI and directed energy weapons within a decade
Summary
India’s proposed national defence shield under Mission Sudarshan Chakra will demand unprecedented integration of technologies and capabilities to protect the country’s strategic and civilian assets, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan said on Tuesday.
According to PTI, speaking at Ran Samwad, a military conclave at the Army War College in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, General Chauhan described the project as “India’s own Iron Dome or Golden Dome.” He stressed that the system would act as both a shield and a sword, capable of neutralising enemy aerial threats and launching counter-strikes.
“The aim is to develop a system to protect India’s strategic, civilian, and nationally important sites. A colossal amount of data will need to be analysed for real-time response, and integration across land, air, sea, undersea, and space domains will be critical,” he said, highlighting the role of artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
The remarks come days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi set a 10-year timeline for the creation of a fully indigenous air defence shield integrated with offensive capabilities under Mission Sudarshan Chakra.
India has recently tested a new Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS) off the Odisha coast, successfully downing three targets using quick-reaction missiles, very short-range air defence systems, and a laser-based directed energy weapon. In April, the country also tested a homegrown laser weapon capable of disabling drones, putting it in the exclusive league of countries with such technology.
According to The Hindu, Chauhan also cited lessons from Operation Sindoor, the May 2025 cross-border military action against Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack. During the operation, India’s Akashteer control system integrated with the IAF’s command network played a decisive role in neutralising Pakistani missiles and drones.
For a project of this magnitude, General Chauhan emphasised a “whole-of-nation approach” and expressed confidence that India could achieve the shield at an affordable cost
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