Indian Army deploys SAKSHAM system for real-time counter-drone defence

The Army has fast-tracked procurement of an indigenous counter-drone grid, with both soft and hard kill options, in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor during which several Pakistani drone swarms were sent across the border.

The Situational Awareness for Kinetic Soft and Hard Kill Assets Management (SAKSHAM) system has been developed in collaboration with Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and will operate over the secure Army Data Network (ADN) to provide an integrated drone awareness picture to all formations in real time.

Taking lessons from Operation Sindoor, the system will cover the airspace of up to 3,000 metre above ground, with the Army terming it as the new Tactical Battlefield Space that expands into the air littoral and beyond its traditional ground-based role. “The system is designed to detect, track, identify and neutralise hostile drones and unmanned aerial systems in real time, ensuring complete airspace security across what is now defined as the Tactical Battlefield Space,” sources said.
Under this concept, the Army will aim for airspace up to 3,000 metre to remain under control of ground forces, allowing unrestricted movement for friendly aerial assets while detecting, tracking and neutralising hostile drones or aircraft.

The system will provide real-time situational awareness for all counter-drone operations in the battlefield and will have an automated decision support system, integrating all available data and making use of AI tools.

Current and future counter drone weapons and sensors will be synchronised into the system and it will also feed into the larger Sudharshan Chakra.The project has been approved under the Fast Track Procurement route, with rollout to all field formations targeted within the next year.