This report argues that India’s traditional air defence (AD) architecture—reliant on expensive, centralized missile systems—is becoming obsolete against the proliferating threat of low-cost, autonomous drone swarms. The May 2025 “Operation Sindoor” crisis exposed a critical “cost asymmetry”: expending million-dollar interceptors against disposable $2,000 FPV drones is economically unsustainable, allowing adversaries to easily exhaust India’s magazine depth.

To address vulnerabilities in low-altitude detection and siloed Electronic Warfare (EW) capabilities, the report proposes shifting from a static defense model to an agile “kill web”. This new architecture rests on three core abilities: Detect (using distributed sensors like LLLWRs), Survive (ensuring redundancy through decentralized command), and Sustain (prioritizing “soft-kill” jamming over kinetic missiles).

Key recommendations include immediately upgrading legacy L-70 and Shilka gun systems to proximity-fused ammunition for cost-effective point defense, and fast-tracking the integration of the IAF’s IACCS and the Army’s Akashteer systems to create a seamless Joint Engagement Zone. Ultimately, the report concludes that modern deterrence relies not on an impenetrable shield, but on a resilient ecosystem that renders saturation attacks futile.