S-400, Akash missiles, Spyder system: India's advanced air defence systems that neutralised Pakistan's drones and missiles mid-air

The Indian Army thwarted a barrage of targeted attacks from Pakistan using drones and other munitions throughout last night. The force said it had also retaliated to ceasefire violations along the border by troops of the neighbouring country. But how did India effectively intercept the overnight series of attacks? The answer lies in India's air defence systems that are designed to foil such attacks.

What is an air defence system?
An air defence system is designed to detect and destroy aerial threats such as drones, missiles, helicopters, and aircraft. These systems function through integrated radar and sensor networks and identify threats in real time.
They also comprise a range of surface-to-air missiles, varying in range and capability, to neutralise threatening objects.

Key air defence systems that are part of India's military are as follows:

S-400: A Russian-made defence system with a massive range of 380 kilometers, for which India struck a three-squadron deal of Rs 40,000 crore in 2018. Two more squads are expected by the next year.
Barak-8 MR-SAM: A system developed in collaboration with Israel that covers a distance of over 70 kilometers.
Akash missiles: An indigenous system with a range of 25 kilometers. The Indian Air Force has inducted 15 squads of these missiles under a Rs 10,900 crore deal.
Spyder system: This is an Israeli defence system with a 15-kilometer range. Multiple units of the system have been inducted in the Indian armed forces.
Short-range defence: Short-range defence weapons include Russian Igla-S (6 kilometers), Igla-1M (5 kilometers), OSA-AK-M (10 kilometers), Pechora missiles, and upgraded L-70 guns (3.5 kilometers).