Project Kusha: India's $2.5B Indigenous Air Defense Endeavor

Project Kusha is an ambitious defense initiative by India aimed at developing its own long-range air defense system by 2028-29. This system will be capable of detecting and neutralizing a wide range of aerial threats, such as stealth fighters, drones, and cruise missiles, up to a distance of 350 km.

1. Organization Behind: The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is leading the project.

2. Three-Layered System: Project Kusha aims to establish a three-layered air defense system. This means it will have different types of missiles capable of hitting targets at varying ranges.

3. Budget: The project has a budget of over $2.5 billion, making it a significant investment in India’s defense capabilities.

4. Global Standing: Upon completion, this project will place India in a small group of countries that have their own advanced long-range air defense systems.

5. Comparison with S-400: The system is being developed to offer capabilities similar to the Russian S-400 system, which India already possesses. However, Project Kusha aims for self-reliance.

6. Collaborations: Past collaborations with Israel on the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile system (MRSAM) have provided valuable insights for this project.

7. Leadership: The Indian Air Force is leading the operational aspect of the project, underlining its focus on indigenous defense solutions.

SRIRAM’s