Satellites, long-range radars to power next-gen airspace shield

THE SUDARSHAN CHAKRA IS NOT LIMITED TO DEFENCE BUT ALSO HAS AN OFFENSIVE POSTURE, TOP SECURITY PLANNERS SAID

- Shishir Gupta

The Sudarshan Chakra mentioned by the Prime Minister in his Independence Day speech is a complex combination of long-range radars, surveillance inputs from satellites, aircraft and UAVs, and long range interceptor missiles that can neutralise any aerial threat coming towards India from its adversaries, according to people familiar with the matter.

Conceptualised by top national security planners and missile scientists, Sudarshan Chakra is an overarching security architecture that has come into fruition after Pakistan launched nearly 1,000 projectiles, including ballistic missiles and armed drones, at India during Operation Sindoor. While some Pakistani missiles and drones were intercepted by antiaircraft batteries and surface to air missiles, others were deflected from the main target by jamming the enemy’s command and control network. The need for Sudarshan Chakra comes at a time when Israel was able to neutralise 498 out of 500 ballistic missiles fired by Iran this year using the Iron Dome system.