“The Whole Sky is Ours,” Says the Man Behind India’s Akash Missile System as it Soars in Battlefield Debut

The Akash system, a short-range, surface-to-air defence platform, was developed by Dr. Ramarao, a former DRDO scientist

“The whole sky is ours.” This powerful tagline, given by Dr. Prahlada Ramarao, captures the spirit behind India’s indigenously developed Akash missile system. This remarkable missile shield recently proved its mettle in its first battlefield test, securing India’s western borders against a coordinated drone and missile attack from Pakistan. Developed over 15 years, the Akash system successfully intercepted and destroyed multiple incoming aerial targets, reinforcing India’s self-reliance in defence technology.

The Akash system, a short-range, surface-to-air defence platform, was developed by Dr. Ramarao, a former Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientist. He was handpicked by India’s ‘Missile Man’ Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam in the early 1990s to lead this ambitious project. Now 78, Dr. Ramarao reflected on this milestone, telling NDTV, “It is the happiest day of my life… seeing my baby work so accurately and beautifully in shooting down incoming enemy aerial targets.”

Dr. Ramarao, who became the youngest project director for the Akash programme, started work on the missile in 1994 with an initial budget of Rs 300 crore. According to a Times of India report, the project’s most significant technical hurdle was the development of the Rajendra radar, a complex, multi-function, electronically scanned phased array system critical to the missile’s real-time tracking and targeting capabilities.

“When you invent something, you fail several times. We also failed. But we learnt from our mistakes,” Dr. Ramarao told Times of India. “Developing the Rajendra radar was the biggest challenge, but we overcame it after several hits and trials.” The budget was later increased to Rs 500 crore as the team refined the radar and other critical systems.

One of the standout features of the Akash system is its cost-effectiveness, a key factor in India’s push for defence self-reliance. “I guarantee you, nowhere in the world could a missile defence system have been invented for just Rs 500 crore,” Dr. Ramarao told TOI. The Akash system can detect a hostile missile from a distance of 70 km and engage it at a 30 km range, providing robust protection against a wide range of aerial threats, including fighter jets, cruise missiles, and drones.

Global Reach and Future Prospects

Since its initial deployment in 2009, the Akash system has undergone continuous upgrades, resulting in multiple variants. These include the Akash-1S with an indigenous seeker, the high-accuracy Akash Prime for high-altitude and low-temperature operations, and the next-generation Akash-NG, which boasts significantly extended range and advanced features. According to TOI, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has inducted around 15 squadrons of the Akash system, while the Indian Army operates four regiments, with plans for further expansion.

Armenia became the first foreign buyer of the Akash system, signing a Rs 6,000-crore deal in 2022 to procure 15 units. The first batch of these systems was delivered last year to bolster Armenia’s border security, as reported by NDTV.

A National Milestone

Reflecting on this significant achievement, Dr. Ramarao, a Padma Shri recipient, told TOI, “This is bigger than my Padma award. My eyes welled up when my baby worked so well. It is the happiest day of my life.”

As the Akash missile system clears its first ‘agni-pariksha’ on the battlefield, it stands as a symbol of India’s growing ‘Atmanirbharta’ in defence production, showcasing the nation’s ability not just to defend its skies, but to control them.

Also Read: Maxar Technologies satellite images reveal significant damage to multiple air bases in Pak

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