India will develop a ‘Sudarshan Chakra’—a multi-layered defence framework that integrates advanced surveillance, cyber protection, and physical safeguards to protect citizens and critical infrastructure from enemy attacks, including terrorism and missile strikes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Friday.
This new national defence system will function similarly to Israel’s Iron Dome and the proposed Golden Dome in the United States, acting as a comprehensive missile defence shield.
India already operates the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS), which successfully neutralised threats during Operation Sindoor, when Pakistani missiles failed to breach Indian airspace for nearly 100 hours. However, Mission Sudarshan Chakra—named after the legendary weapon Lord Krishna used to shield Arjuna—aims to go far beyond just missile interception.
“By 2035, I want to expand, strengthen, and modernise this shield. Drawing inspiration from Lord Krishna, we have chosen the path of the Sudarshan Chakra. The entire system should be researched, developed, and manufactured in India,” the Prime Minister declared in his Independence Day speech.
“Every citizen must feel protected.”
While operational details are still under wraps, sources told media the system will likely include precision counterstrike capabilities and anti-cyber warfare measures to neutralise digital threats such as hacking and phishing.
Mission Sudarshan Chakra will reportedly involve close collaboration between India’s premier scientific institutions, defence agencies, the armed forces, and private sector innovators, in line with the government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) vision, particularly in defence and infrastructure.
Context: Lessons from Operation Sindoor
The Sudarshan Chakra initiative follows the April Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor in May, during which Pakistan attempted to target Indian military bases, shoot down fighter jets, and damage urban centres. Over a tense 100-hour window starting May 7, India’s armed forces and missile defence systems held firm.
From Pakistan’s failed offensive, India drew a clear lesson: defence must be proactive, integrated, and future-ready.