India's indigenous Akash air defence missile system could find more buyers across the world after securing export customers and establishing stable production, according to Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
The Akash air defence missile system is a medium range, surface-to-air missile system which provides area air defence against multifarious air threats to mobile, semi mobile and static vulnerable forces and areas.
Singh described Akash as one of India's success stories and said the missile demonstrated the growing maturity of the country's indigenous missile design and production capabilities.
“Akash, I would say that it is one of our success stories. It shows the maturing of our indigenous missile design and production system. It is effective in dealing with high-velocity aerial targets,” Singh said, according to news agency ANI.
Armenia became the first customer for the system and has taken multiple batteries. India has subsequently exported Akash to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
According to the defence secretary, production of the missile system has now stabilised, while India's own armed forces have placed additional orders.
“I’m sure there will be many more from various parts of the world,” Singh said, signalling expectations of a wider international customer base for the indigenous air defence system.
The system's growing export prospects are also supported by an established domestic production base and orders from India's armed forces.
Rahul Wankhede, a research analyst at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, said domestic manufacturing lines and additional orders from the Indian armed forces could reassure prospective customers about supply.
“This assures potential buyers of supply chain reliability, quick replenishment and a comprehensive training package,” Wankhede was quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post.
He also expects the system's export footprint to expand.
“The Akash system will have a wider export base in the future since it’s a purely defensive system,” Wankhede said, adding that its exports mark India's emergence as a credible global defence exporter.
The exports to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan also give India a foothold in the Central Asian defence market as the country seeks to expand its defence exports.
Turkmenistan already operates several Chinese air-defence systems, and Akash is expected to complement them by fulfilling a mid-layer role in the country's air-defence architecture, according to Singh.
India is also actively promoting defence exports and seeking greater private-sector participation through policy initiatives, incentives and defence corridors, the defence secretary said.
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, Akash can engage aerial targets at altitudes ranging from 100 metres to 20 km and has an operational range of 4.5 km to 25 km.
The system has also evolved into newer variants, including Akash Prime and Akash-NG.
