NEW DELHI, July 23 – Defence Research and Development Organisation successfully conducted the maiden flight-test of the Kusha Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on July 23, 2026. The maiden test was conducted against an electronic target simulating a high-speed and high-altitude aerial threat, which was successfully intercepted by the missile system.
The Kusha missile system is capable of neutralising a wide variety of aerial threats, including fighter jets, missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and large enemy aircraft within a wide range and altitude envelope. All weapon system elements, including the missiles, radars, and command and control centre, have been developed by various DRDO laboratories alongside industry partners
.Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh stated that the successful test-flight of Kusha marks an important milestone in Indian defence R&D, highlighting a capability in developing long-range surface-to-air missile systems possessed by only a handful of nations. He added that this will eliminate import dependency for such systems and signifies a giant leap in the air defence capability of the nation.
Defence Secretary and Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO Rajesh Kumar Singh monitored all activities during the launch and congratulated all team members involved in the successful flight-test.