Platform profile · India · Mobile, layered long-range surface-to-air missile system · Indian Air Force (planned)
The maiden flight test on July 23, 2026 from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island intercepted an electronic target simulating a high-speed, high-altitude aircraft, moving the programme from design and industrial preparation into developmental flight trials; live-target intercepts across the full envelope and user trials still lie ahead.
On April 8, 2026, BEL said it had acquired 75 hectares at Chitrakoot for a facility costing more than Rs 600 crore that will cater to Kusha alongside QRSAM and next-generation radars; this is industrial preparation, not an operational-system production order. On February 16, the Ministry of Defence listed Project Kusha MR/LR SAM among BEL's ongoing R&D activities. In August 2025, Indian media reported a revised sequence of M1, M2 and M3 trials in 2026, 2027 and 2028, with development targeted for 2028 and induction from 2030; these remain reported plans. The programme was disclosed as XRSAM-IAF in 2019 and, by November 2023, Janes reported Project Kusha in initial design with three 150 km, 250 km and 350 km interceptor layers and five units cleared for the IAF. It matters because a successful indigenous system would add mobile, long-range depth to India's air-defence network and reduce reliance on imported high-end interceptors.
Updated 25 days ago Updated 23 Jul 2026
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Spec sources: janes.com ↗ · timesofindia.indiatimes.com ↗ · ndtvprofit.com ↗
Changelog
DRDO conducted the maiden flight test of the Kusha long-range surface-to-air missile from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, intercepting an electronic target that simulated a high-speed, high-altitude aircraft, with the missile, radars and command-and-control centre all indigenously developed.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh publicly called Project Kusha a game changer, reinforcing government backing for the indigenous long-range air-defence effort.
BEL said it had acquired 75 hectares in the UPEIDA defence node at Chitrakoot for a facility costing more than Rs 600 crore that will cater to the Kusha air-defence system, QRSAM, next-generation radars and MRO work.
During the Defence Minister's visit to BEL Bengaluru, the Ministry of Defence listed Project Kusha MR/LR SAM among the company's ongoing R&D activities shown in the briefing.
Top sources told The Times of India that M1, M2 and M3 tests were planned for 2026, 2027 and 2028 respectively, with development targeted for 2028 and induction from 2030 onwards.
At BEL's Q4 FY2025 earnings call, CMD Manoj Jain said BEL was jointly developing Kusha radars and control systems with DRDO and expected a prototype in 12-18 months, followed by 12-36 months of user trials.
A DRDO official told Janes that Project Kusha was in the initial design phase; Janes also reported five LRSAM units cleared for the IAF and a three-tier 150 km, 250 km and 350 km architecture.
DRDO publicly disclosed the XRSAM-IAF configuration, including a transportable 350 km system intended to engage aircraft, AWACS, sea-skimming anti-ship missiles, stealth fighters and terminal-stage ballistic missiles.
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DRDO's Kusha long-range interceptor made its maiden flight from Abdul Kalam Island on 23 July, destroying an electronic target simulating a high-speed, high-altitude threat — first hardware proof of India's indigenous S-400-class shield.
