According to Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som of NDTV, Project Sudarshan Chakra is India’s most ambitious endeavor to create a multi-layered, domestic air and missile defense shield that will change the country’s security environment by 2035.
Inspired by Lord Krishna’s fabled Sudarshan Chakra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the effort during his Independence Day speech, indicating both cultural pride and technology aspirations in defense strategy.
It was created in the midst of increasing security demands, particularly following increased tensions with Pakistan and more general new dangers including cyber, missile, and advanced aerial warfare.
In his 2025 Independence Day address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented India’s historic, multi-layered air and missile defense project, known as Sudarshan Chakra. In order to defend India’s skies and vital resources from a wide range of aerial threats, such as enemy aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic glide vehicles, and swarm attacks, it seeks to offer a complete, integrated shield.
Satellites, long-range radars, AI-enabled detection and interception, missile interceptors, drones, directed-energy lasers, and cyber countermeasures are just a few examples of the cutting-edge technology that will be seamlessly integrated into the system, which is intended to function as a national strategic grid. For real-time threat detection, interception, and retribution, this integration unifies sensors, command centers, shooters, and decision-makers into a single responsive network.
India intends to first secure strategic sites such command centers, nuclear plants, strategic airfields, navy ports, energy hubs, and the Delhi National Capital Region. The project aims to protect Army strike formations by later deploying mobile units along battlefronts.
Sudarshan Chakra is unique because it combines tactical creativity with local technology. The shield is a combination of international air defense concepts, echoing the capabilities of Russia’s S-500, the United States’ THAAD, and Israel’s Iron Dome, but specifically designed for India’s strategic, multi-front threat environment. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) for improved targeting and interception precision, satellite-based early warning, and tri-service integration of the Army, Navy, and Air Force defense systems.
In contrast to strictly defensive systems, Sudarshan Chakra is made to not only intercept and eliminate threats but also to offer the possibility of guaranteed reprisal. This enables India to respond to aggression with precise and deep strikes, changing its deterrence posture. Through 2035, the system is anticipated to gradually update and expand, enabling a developing missile armament that includes the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and the Pralay quasi-ballistic missile.
By building a highly sophisticated, layered, and integrated aerial shield supported by artificial intelligence (AI) and domestic defense manufacturing, Sudarshan Chakra is a revolutionary national security project that will protect India’s airspace, cities, and vital defense and civilian infrastructure. With this program, India’s defense posture is elevated to fully combat the aerial problems of the twenty-first century, marking a strategic shift from reactive defense to proactive deterrence and assured retaliation.
Sudarshan Chakra is a revolutionary project that has the potential to greatly improve India’s national security and raise its strategic capabilities on the international scene thanks to its meticulous integration and indigenous innovation.
