Akash

Akash is an Indian mobile surface-to-air missile system developed for point and area air defense of vulnerable sites and forces. During Operation Sindoor in the 2025 India-Pakistan Conflict, Indian official reporting identified Akash among the indigenous air-defense systems used in the layered network that countered Pakistani drone and missile attacks.

2025 India-Pakistan ConflictIndia

Conflict side: India
Built by: Bharat Dynamics LimitedBharat Electronics Limited
Built in: India

Akash, Mobile short-range surface-to-air missile system, Air Defense

Image source: Akash Missile Launcher

Profile

Type: Mobile short-range surface-to-air missile system
Conflict side: India
Origin: India
Service note: In Indian service during the 2025 India-Pakistan Conflict

air defense counter-uav SAMmobile

Service History

In service: Operational with Indian Army and Indian Air Force air-defense units
Used by: Indian Army, Indian Air Force
Wars: 2025 India-Pakistan Conflict

Production History

Designer: Defence Research and Development Organisation
Designed: Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme era
Built by: Bharat Dynamics LimitedBharat Electronics Limited
Built in: India
Unit cost: Not consistently published
Produced: 2000s-present
Number built: Not consistently published
Variants: Akash Mk 1, Akash Prime, Akash-NG

Specifications

Range: 4.5 km to 25 km
Altitude: 100 m to 20 km
Missile length: 5.87 m
Missile diameter: 350 mm
Missile weight: 710 kg
Guidance: Command guidance with phased-array radar support
Target set: Helicopters, fighter aircraft, UAVs, and other aerial threats
Battery features: Mobile system with group and autonomous modes, ECCM features, and simultaneous multi-target engagement

Conflict Usage

2025 India-Pakistan Conflict: Side: IndiaRole: Layered air defense against drones and missilesair defense counter-uav
Fielded by Indian forces during Operation Sindoor as part of the layered air-defense network that countered Pakistani drone and missile attacks against northern and western Indian military targets.

Akash Videos

Army shares visuals of Akash Missile system, displays its target engagement capability

2025 Akash Missile | India’s New Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) | Akash SAM Full Details

Akash Missile System Explained- India's Indegenous Air Defence System Breakthrough

Akash Missile Launch SLOW MOTION 🔥💪🏽 Destroying Target #shorts #shortsvideo #yourubeshorts

Akash Images

Akash, Mobile short-range surface-to-air missile system, Air Defense - view 1 — Source: Akash Missile Launcher

Akash, Mobile short-range surface-to-air missile system, Air Defense - view 2 — Source: Akash SAM

Akash, Mobile short-range surface-to-air missile system, Air Defense - view 3 — Source: Akash Missile 11

Akash, Mobile short-range surface-to-air missile system, Air Defense - view 4 — Source: Akash SAM

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Sources

Akash Weapon SystemPublisher: Bharat Dynamics Limited | Note: Supports manufacturer background and specifications for Akash range, altitude, dimensions, weight, guidance, target types, ECCM, and mobile configuration. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Akash Missile SystemPublisher: Bharat Electronics Limited | Note: Supports manufacturer background and system-level specifications for the Akash radar network, automation, command guidance, and simultaneous engagement capability. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Operation SINDOOR: The Rise of Aatmanirbhar Innovation in National SecurityPublisher: Press Information Bureau, Government of India | Note: Supports 2025 India-Pakistan Conflict direct use: Akash was used by India during Operation Sindoor as an indigenous air-defense system in the layered response to Pakistani drone and missile attacks. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Akash Missile, IACCS and Drones Drive India's Defence Success in Operation SINDOORPublisher: DD News | Note: Supports 2025 India-Pakistan Conflict direct use: Akash was used by India and played a role in neutralising drone and missile threats during Operation Sindoor. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Akash Missile LauncherPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the Akash launcher photograph, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by the uploader. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Akash SAMPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for an Akash test-firing photograph, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 India with VRT permission noted by Commons. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Akash Missile 11Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a close view of an Akash missile, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by the uploader. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Rajendra Radar for Akash SAMPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the Rajendra radar used with Akash SAM, sourced to India's Ministry of Defence and licensed under Government Open Data License - India. | Accessed: 2026-06-21