India’s Air Defense Ecosystem: A Multi-Layered Shield Against Modern Threats India’s air defense ecosystem is a sophisticated, multi-layered network designed to counter diverse aerial threats, from drones to ballistic missiles. Comprising indigenous systems like Akash, QRSAM, and the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) program, alongside foreign systems such as Russia’s S-400, Israel’s Barak-8 and SPYDER, and legacy Soviet platforms, it integrates long-, medium-, and short-range defenses. The Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) and Akashteer unify these assets, enabling seamless coordination, as proven in Operation Sindoor (2025), which neutralized Pakistani drones and missiles. Despite sanctions risks on Russian systems (S-400, Igla) and U.S. export controls (Stinger, NASAMS-2), India’s DRDO, BEL, and private firms drive integration through indigenous innovation, reverse-engineering, and custom interfaces. Challenges like interoperability, costs, and supply chain disruptio...