Indian Army begins induction of Saksham counter-unmanned aerial threat grid system

NEW DELHI: As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen national security and enhance operational preparedness against evolving aerial threats, the Indian Army has begun procuring an indigenously developed Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Grid System named Saksham. The Army on Thursday said, 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 (TBS), an expanded domain that includes the Air Littoral, the airspace up to 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) above the ground. The Indian Armys Corps of Air Defence is responsible for the countrys ground-based air defence. According to the Army, the need for a comprehensive Counter-UAS (C-UAS) framework became evident during Operation Sindoor, when hostile UAS activity highlighted the importance of swift detection, coordinated response, and airspace control beyond traditional ground limits. The Indian Army has since evolved its operational concept from the earlier Tactical Battle Area (TBA) to the more inclusive Tactical Battlefield Space (TBS), recognising that future wars will be fought not just on land but also in the air littoral directly above it, the army added.. This new approach ensures that the airspace up to 3,000 metres above the ground - the Air Littoral - remains under the control of ground forces. It allows unrestricted movement of friendly aerial assets while detecting, tracking, and neutralising hostile drones or aircraft. As modern warfare increasingly relies on drones for surveillance and attacks, situational awareness and real-time decision-making have become crucial for mission success. Elaborating on Saksham, the Army said it was conceived as a high-end, modular Command and Control System. Saksham, short for Situational Awareness for Kinetic Soft and Hard Kill Assets Management, has been developed in collaboration with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Ghaziabad. The system operates over the secure Army Data Network (ADN) to provide an integrated, recognised UAS picture to all formations and arms in real time, covering both the surface and the Air Littoral layer of the Tactical Battlefield Space. Elaborating further on the system, the Army said it can integrate its own as well as hostile UAS data, C-UAS sensors, and soft- and hard-kill systems on a common GIS-based platform. The system will also receive inputs from the Akashteer System, further enhancing situational awareness by mapping all airspace users; friendly, neutral, or hostile; within the combat zone. Akashteer is India's fully indigenous, automated Air Defence Control and Reporting System that intercepts and neutralises every inbound projectile. The Saksham Counter-UAS System is fully indigenous, designed and developed by BEL; the system incorporates AI-driven fusion technologies for future combat systems, enabling scalability and upgradation as threat environments evolve. The Army said that to ensure quick induction, the project has been approved under the Fast Track Procurement (FTP) route, with rollout across all field formations targeted within the next year. Strategic Impact According to the force, once operational, Saksham will serve as the backbone of the Indian Army's Counter-UAS grid, giving commanders a unified picture of both ground and aerial threats in the Tactical Battlefield Space. It will enhance decision-making speed, ensure rapid engagement, and secure control over the Air Littoral, thereby protecting troops and infrastructure from aerial incursions. This initiative represents a decisive stride towards creating a digitally enabled, technology-driven battlefield, aligned with the Indian Army's Decade of Transformation (2023-2032), the Army said.