Just days after the successful test of the nuclear-capable Agni-V ballistic missile, India achieved another breakthrough by conducting the maiden test of the Indigenously Developed Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS) on August 23, 2025, off the coast of Odisha. This multi-layered system marks a decisive leap in India’s efforts to counter modern aerial threats while strengthening defence self-reliance.
During the demonstration, three aerial targets — two high-speed fixed-wing UAVs and a multi-copter drone — were simultaneously intercepted and neutralised by the Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM), the Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS), and a high-energy Directed Energy Weapon (DEW). All elements, including radars, command-and-control, detection technologies, and communications systems, functioned seamlessly, validating the robustness of the nation’s integrated air defence grid.
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This critical test strengthens India’s layered defence capability and will provide critical area defence for strategic facilities against hostile aircraft, drones, and missile threats. The DRDO likewise underscored that the trial validated India’s vision of combining kinetic and non-kinetic technologies for a comprehensive defensive shield.
What Is Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS)
The IADWS includes a three-tier mix of cutting-edge systems — QRSAM missiles for medium-range threats, VSHORADS missiles for low-altitude intrusions, and laser-based directed energy weapons tailored to engage drones and precision stand-off systems. Notably, VSHORADS has been developed by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), while the advanced DEW component has been produced by the Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS). Together, they represent India’s growing reliance on indigenous innovation to combat fast-evolving air combat scenarios.
It combines three cutting-edge components:
Quick Reaction Surface-To-Air Missiles (QRSAM): These are short-range missiles designed to protect moving army armoured columns from enemy aerial attacks. They operate on mobile platforms with capabilities such as search and track on the move, covering engagement ranges of 3 to 30 kilometres and altitudes up to 10 km.
Advanced Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS): A fourth-generation, miniaturised man-portable air defence missile system capable of neutralising threats such as drones, helicopters, and slow-moving fixed-wing aircraft within a range of 300 meters to 6 kilometres and altitudes up to 4 km.
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Directed Energy Weapon (DEW): A high-power laser weapon developed by DRDO’s Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences, optimised for counter-UAV operations. It can disable multiple drones at close range with sustained, cost-effective firing capacity and has an effective range of less than 3 kilometres.
The integrated operation of these components is managed by a centralised Command and Control Centre developed by DRDO’s Defence Research & Development Laboratory. This system provides a layered air defence shield capable of simultaneously engaging various aerial threats—ranging from high-speed UAVs and multi-copter drones to low-flying threats—across different ranges and altitudes.
The IADWS enhances India’s air defence by providing a comprehensive, indigenous capability to defend key facilities and assets against diverse aerial threats, reducing dependency on foreign systems. It was successfully flight-tested on August 23, 2025, off the coast of Odisha, during which all three components functioned flawlessly, simultaneously destroying multiple aerial targets.
The specific technologies behind VSHORADS and DEW were developed by Research Centre IMARAT and the Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences, respectively.
This highlight coincides with the recent successful trial of the Agni-V Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM). With a range exceeding 5,000 km, Agni-V consolidates India’s nuclear deterrence posture, extending its reach across Asia and into parts of Europe. The back-to-back demonstrations reflect a calibrated show of military maturity and preparedness.
Observers link these advancements to the evolving security environment following Operation Sindoor, launched in May 2025 in retaliation against Pakistan-sponsored terror strikes in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region. In the initial phase, India carried out precision strikes on terror sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir, eliminating over 100 terrorists affiliated with groups such as LeT, JeM, and HuM.
With the unveiling of IADWS and validation of Agni-V, analysts suggest preparations are underway to escalate into Operation Sindoor 2.0, ensuring not just offensive strike capability but also robust defensive protection against adversarial retaliation.
Together, these tests signal India’s transition into an era of comprehensive multi-layered deterrence, where nuclear-capable strategic missiles combine with a technologically advanced air defence shield to both deter and neutralise threats across the full spectrum of warfare.
Agencies
