India’s Kusha Air Defense Missile Passes First Flight Test

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) announced on July 23, 2026, that its Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LR-SAM) system, Kusha, successfully completed its maiden flight test. Kusha is designed to intercept fighter jets, missiles, and large enemy aircraft.

The system is being developed as an indigenous component of India’s layered air-defense architecture and is planned to operate alongside Russian-origin S-400 systems, reflecting India’s push to reduce reliance on foreign air-defense technology.

The successful maiden test is viewed as a key milestone toward operational fielding. DRDO said further tests across different range and altitude scenarios will follow.

Source: The Week (Jul 23, 2026, DRDO statement).