Project Kusha explained: Why India’s 'own S-400' is not designed to stop ballistic missiles

India’s maiden test of the Kusha Surface-to-Air Missile marks a decisive step in building a layered air defence shield under Mission Sudarshan Chakra. Designed in three variants—M1 (150 km), M2 (250 km) and M3 (350 km)—the system aims to rival the Russian S-400 but with indigenous scalability. The test underscores DRDO’s ability to intercept threats in both endo- and exo-atmospheric domains. Yet, as Gulf conflicts show, missile defence requires redundancy and integration. India must now invest in sensors, lasers, and command networks to ensure resilience against saturation attacks.