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New Delhi: India has completed the first flight test of the Kusha long-range surface-to-air missile, marking a major step in the country’s effort to build a wider air defence network. The Defence Research and Development Organisation conducted the test on July 23, 2026, from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast.

The missile was fired against an electronic target that copied the flight pattern of a fast-moving threat at a high altitude. According to the Ministry of Defence, the Kusha system detected and intercepted the simulated target during the test. The trial checked the missile along with its radar, command centre and other supporting systems.

The @DRDO_India has successfully conducted the maiden flight test of Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile Kusha today from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.

Kusha missile system is capable of neutralising wide variety of aerial threats including fighter jets,… pic.twitter.com/EceUgGM1HR

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 23, 2026

Kusha is being developed as a long-range surface-to-air missile system. Its job is to detect, track and destroy threats flying towards protected airspace.

The system is being built to counter several types of targets, including:

• Fighter aircraft
• Enemy missiles
• Unmanned aerial vehicles
• Large surveillance or support aircraft

Think of it as a shield spread across a large area. The radar first spots the incoming object. The command centre then studies its speed and route. A missile is launched if the target is judged to be a threat.

A first flight test is an early but serious stage in a missile programme. It checks whether the basic design works outside laboratories and computer simulations.

The July 23 test focused on a high-speed and high-altitude target. Such threats can be difficult to track and intercept since defenders get less time to react. DRDO said the missile completed the interception successfully.

The Ministry said various DRDO laboratories and Indian industry partners developed the missiles, radars and command systems used in Kusha. This is significant since a full air defence system involves far more than the interceptor missile itself.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the test marked an important milestone for Indian defence research. He said only a small group of countries can develop long-range surface-to-air missile systems.

Singh said Kusha could reduce India’s reliance on imported systems and strengthen national air defence. DRDO Chairman Rajesh Kumar Singh monitored the launch activities and congratulated the teams involved.