Missiles
ISLAMABAD: Former Indian Army Lieutenant General G.D. Bakshi hasacknowledged that systems similar to Israel’s Iron Dome are effective onlyagainst limited, unguided rocket attacks such as those fired by Hamas butproved largely ineffective against the coordinated barrage of Iranianballistic missiles in April and October 2024. Speaking at a defenceseminar, the retired general stated that any Indian attempt to replicate amulti-layered air defence network comparable to Iron Dome would requireseveral years of sustained development and an “unstoppable flow of money”that would place severe strain on national finances.
The admission comes against the backdrop of India’s ongoing efforts toestablish a robust ballistic missile defence shield under Phase-I andPhase-II of its Ballistic Missile Defence Programme. However, LieutenantGeneral Bakshi’s remarks underline persistent concerns about thefeasibility and affordability of achieving comprehensive coverage acrossIndia’s vast territory.
Military analysts point out that India’s existing air defence assetsalready demonstrated significant limitations during the May 2025 exchangeswith Pakistan. Pakistani sources claim that even low-tier guided rocketssuch as Fatah-1 penetrated Indian defences, causing acknowledged damage toforward airbases and radar installations. Colonel Sofia Qureshi,spokesperson for the Pakistan Army’s Directorate of Military Operations,later confirmed that multiple Indian military facilities sustained directhits despite activation of S-400 and Akash surface-to-air missile systems.
Defence observers warn that future conflicts of higher intensity wouldwitness Pakistan employing considerably larger salvos of advanced Fatah-2,Fatah-3, and potentially Fatah-4 or Fatah-5 missiles equipped withmanoeuvrable re-entry vehicles (MaRV). The unpredictable terminal-phasetrajectories of these weapons are assessed to be extremely challenging forcurrent and near-future Indian interceptors.
Meanwhile, strategic circles in Islamabad emphasise the urgent necessityfor Pakistan to accelerate development of fully indigenous air defencearchitecture. The Global Industrial and Defence Solutions (GIDS) consortiumis actively engaged in short- and medium-range surface-to-air missileprojects, though experts stress that bridging the gap with peercapabilities will demand sustained investment and technologicalbreakthroughs.
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The contrasting trajectories of the two countries’ air defence programmeshave renewed debate over South Asia’s evolving missile age and theescalating cost of strategic deterrence.
Source:www.defence.pk/pdf/threads/lt-gen-g-d-bakshi-on-indian-air-defence-challenges.782345/”>https://www.defence.pk/pdf/threads/lt-gen-g-d-bakshi-on-indian-air-defence-challenges.782345/
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