Successful IADWS Test Marks India’s Next Leap In Air Defence: Here’s How The System Works

Last Updated:August 25, 2025, 16:21 IST

From tracking drones to intercepting cruise missiles, the Integrated Air Defence Weapon System is India’s first step toward the Sudarshan Chakra vision

DRDO test fires Integrated Air Defence Weapon System from near Odisha on Saturday. Image Courtesy: @rajnathsingh/X

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address this year, spoke of a new missile defence initiative called Sudarshan Chakra, it was positioned as a leap towards securing India’s skies and critical infrastructure. Barely ten days later, that vision has begun to take shape.

On Saturday, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the maiden flight tests of its Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS) off the coast of Odisha.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the achievement, writing on X: “I congratulate DRDO, India Armed Forces and Industry for successful development of IADWS. This unique flight test has established the multi-layered air-defence capability of our country and is going to strengthen area defence for important facilities against enemy aerial threats."

What Is The IADWS?

An Integrated Air Defence Weapon System is not a single missile or gun, but a layered network of weapons, radars, and command structures designed to neutralise threats from the air. Globally, the US has the Patriot and THAAD, Russia fields the S-400, and Israel operates the Iron Dome. India’s successful test now puts it on the path to fielding its own indigenous counterpart.

According to the Ministry of Defence, during the Odisha trials “all components of the weapon system, including the missile systems, drone detection and destruction system, command-and-control, communication, and radars performed flawlessly, which was confirmed by range instruments deployed at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, to capture the flight data."

The test involved three aerial targets: two high-speed unmanned aircraft and a multi-copter drone. Each was assigned to a different tier of the IADWS — the Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM), the Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS), and a Directed Energy Weapon (DEW).

How Does It Work?

At the heart of the IADWS is the Centralised Command and Control Centre (C2C2). This integrates radar and electro-optical sensor feeds to create a real-time air picture. Based on velocity, altitude, and flight path, the C2C2 determines which weapon is best suited to engage an incoming threat and allocates it accordingly.

Sources told The Print that by integrating kinetic interceptors and directed-energy systems under the C2C2, the IADWS ensures both conventional threats like high-speed aircraft and cruise missiles, and asymmetric threats such as swarming drones and loitering munitions, can be countered within a single system.

QRSAM, VSHORADS, DEW: India’s Three-Tier Shield

QRSAM

Developed by DRDO, the Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM) forms the outer tier of the IADWS. Configured on high-mobility platforms, it is designed to shield Army armoured formations from aerial attacks. It can engage fast-moving aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, and glide bombs at ranges of up to 30 km and altitudes of around 10 km. The system includes two types of radars, Active Array Battery Surveillance Radar and Active Array Multifunction Radar, and a launcher. Both radars provide 360-degree coverage with ‘search on move’ and ‘track on move’ capability.

VSHORADS

Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) is a fourth-generation man-portable missile system which provides the middle layer of protection. It can neutralise targets within 6 km and at altitudes up to 4 km, including drones, helicopters, and low-flying aircraft. According to Firstpost, a senior Defence Ministry official said the indigenously-developed system is “technically superior to existing MANPADS in the Indian Armed Forces because it has a state-of-the-art uncooled imaging infrared seeker."

DEW

Directed Energy Weapon (DEW), the innermost tier, is a high-power laser system developed by DRDO’s Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS). Earlier this year, a demonstration of the DEW MK-II(A) successfully disabled drones and caused structural damage to UAVs. Unlike missiles, the DEW has virtually unlimited firing capacity, making it especially effective against swarms of drones or loitering munitions at close range.

Why DRDO’s Maiden Flight Test Marks A Strategic Leap For India

The successful trial demonstrates how the three systems can collectively counter a wide spectrum of aerial threats within a 30-kilometre envelope, from high-speed aircraft to low-flying helicopters and drones. A senior DRDO scientist told The Indian Express that the maiden test at lower ranges “paves the way for use of the system at higher ranges" and should be seen as “a stepping stone towards Mission Sudarshan Chakra."

A former head of a DRDO facility called it a “strategic leap in India’s indigenous defence capability," stressing that the test showcased seamless coordination between missiles and directed-energy weapons. He said this strengthens multi-layered air defence, enhances readiness against varied threats, and reduces dependence on foreign systems.

The IADWS, once operational, is expected to defend not only forward bases and radar stations but also critical infrastructure such as nuclear plants, power facilities and space installations.

From IADWS To Mission Sudarshan Chakra

The successful demonstration is only the first step. The government’s plan is to integrate the IADWS with the Indian Air Force’s Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) and the Army’s Akashteer network. Together, these will create a nationwide, layered defence shield.

Prime Minister Modi had underlined that Sudarshan Chakra would not only neutralise enemy attacks but also hit back with overwhelming force. By combining missiles, lasers, surveillance and command networks, India is moving closer to that vision.

Karishma Jain

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar...Read More

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar...

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First Published:

August 25, 2025, 16:18 IST

News explainers Successful IADWS Test Marks India’s Next Leap In Air Defence: Here’s How The System Works

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