Watch: Akash Prime air defence system destroys two high-speed targets in Ladakh

In a major milestone for India’s defence capabilities, the Indian Army successfully conducted trials of the indigenous Akash Prime air defence system on Wednesday at an altitude exceeding 15,000 feet in the Ladakh sector. The weapon system is customised to operate in an altitude of 4,500 metre.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shared a video of the trial on X, noting that on July 16, the Akash Prime system effectively destroyed two high-speed aerial unmanned targets at high altitude. Akash Prime is an upgraded variant of the Akash Weapon System, specifically designed for military use.

The trials were conducted by the Army Air Defence in collaboration with senior officials from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the system’s developer. Despite the challenging conditions of thin air at high altitudes, the surface-to-air missiles achieved two direct hits on fast-moving aerial targets.

Army Air Defence and DRDO, in conjunction with Defence PSUs such as Bharat Dynamics Limited & Bharat Electronics Limited, and other Industry Partners have successfully validated the indigenously designed and developed Akash Prime Weapon System. The trials were done as part of First of Production Model firing trial and will further enable timely induction and enhance the Air Defence potential in high-altitude frontiers of the country.