Question
Consider the following statements about Mission Sudarshan Chakra of India:
1It aims to enhance India’s air defence, ballistic missile defence and aerial offensive capabilities.
2This Mission is being designed to enhance rapid, precise, and powerful defence responses, reinforcing India’s strategic autonomy.
3One of the aims of this Mission is to cover all public places of India by an expanded nationwide security shield by 2035.
A1, 2 and 3 ✓
B1 and 2 only
C2 and 3 only
D1 only
Mission Sudarshan Chakra — Background
Launch
Announced by PM Narendra Modi on 79th Independence Day (15 August 2025). A 10-year national defence initiative to build an indigenous, multi-layered air and missile defence shield — named after Lord Krishna’s legendary Sudarshan Chakra. Entirely designed, developed and manufactured in India. Target: fully operational by 2035.
Each Statement — All Three Confirmed from Official Sources
1
✓ Correct — air defence + BMD + offensive capabilities
Enhances air defence, ballistic missile defence, and aerial offensive capabilities
All three components are confirmed in the mission design:• Air defence: Multi-layered system to intercept drones, cruise missiles, fighter aircraft, and hypersonic threats. Integrates existing systems (S-400/Sudarshan, IACCS, Akashteer) with new systems (Project Kusha interceptors at 150km, 250km, 350km ranges).
• Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD): DRDO has been developing BMD using Prithvi and Agni-based interceptors capable of engaging at exo-atmospheric (50-80 km) and endo-atmospheric (up to 30 km) altitudes. This is integrated into the mission.
• Offensive capabilities: PM Modi specifically said the system “will not only neutralise the enemy’s attack but will also hit back at the enemy many times more.” Includes Pralay ballistic missiles (500 km), BrahMos (800 km), land-attack cruise missiles (1,000 km).
✓ Shield + Sword — both defensive and offensive
Air defence + BMD + offensive strike = “shield and sword” design. Not just a passive defensive shield — actively retaliates.
2
✓ Correct — rapid, precise, powerful; strategic autonomy
Designed for rapid, precise, and powerful defence responses; reinforces India’s strategic autonomy
Both elements confirmed:• Rapid, precise, powerful: Vision IAS notes: “It will be a system for targeted precise action.” PM Modi described it as “precise like the mythical weapon.” AI-enabled targeting, advanced surveillance integration, and autonomous response systems enable rapid and powerful counter-strikes.
• Strategic autonomy: The mission is entirely indigenous — researched, developed and manufactured in India (Atmanirbhar Bharat). Reducing dependence on foreign systems (like S-400) ensures strategic autonomy. DRDO leads with private sector and civilian research labs participating.
✓ Precision + Strategic Autonomy = core mission pillars
100% indigenous development · DRDO + private sector + research labs · Reduces dependence on Russian/foreign systems → strategic autonomy
3
✓ Correct — PM Modi stated this on Independence Day 2025
Cover all public places with nationwide security shield by 2035
PM Modi’s exact words on 15 August 2025: “By 2035, all the important places of the nation, which include strategic as well as civilian areas, like hospitals, railways and any centre of faith, will be given complete security cover through new platforms of technology.”Vision IAS also confirmed: “It will cover all public places with an expanded nationwide security shield across air, land and sea.”
This is what makes Mission Sudarshan Chakra fundamentally different from conventional air defence systems like Iron Dome — it extends protection to civilian public spaces, not just military installations. This is an unprecedented scope in Indian defence planning.
✓ PM Modi’s exact words — 15 August 2025
Hospitals · Railways · Centres of faith · All public places = nationwide shield by 2035. Unlike Iron Dome which protects military assets — Sudarshan Chakra explicitly covers civilian spaces.
Mission Sudarshan Chakra — Two Phases
⚡ Phase 1: 2028–2029
Foundation phase · Integrate existing IACCS and Akashteer networks · New interceptors under Project Kusha · Basic nationwide coverage established
🛡️ Phase 2: 2035
Full-spectrum national shield · AI integration · Quantum computing · Space-based sensors · Hypersonic interceptors · Complete civilian + strategic coverage
Mission Sudarshan Chakra — Complete Fact Sheet
| Parameter | Detail |
| Announced by | PM Narendra Modi · 79th Independence Day · 15 August 2025 |
| Named after | Lord Krishna’s mythical Sudarshan Chakra — a precision weapon that always hits its target and returns |
| Development | DRDO-led · 100% indigenous · Private sector + civilian research labs · Atmanirbhar Bharat |
| Target | Fully operational by 2035 · Phase 1 by 2028-29 |
| Air defence | Multi-layered interception · Drones, cruise missiles, fighter jets, hypersonic weapons · Project Kusha interceptors (150, 250, 350 km) |
| BMD | Ballistic Missile Defence · Exo-atmospheric (50-80 km) and endo-atmospheric (up to 30 km) · Prithvi and Agni-based interceptors |
| Offensive strike | Pralay (500 km) · BrahMos upgraded (800 km) · Land-attack cruise missiles (1,000 km) · “Hit back many times more” |
| Civilian coverage | Hospitals · Railways · Religious sites · All public places · Strategic assets — complete nationwide shield by 2035 |
| Comparison | Broader than Israel’s Iron Dome · Iron Dome = primarily military/rockets · Sudarshan Chakra = multi-domain including civilian spaces, cyber, and offensive |
| S-400 connection | India’s S-400 system is already called “Sudarshan Chakra” in IAF · New Mission builds upon this and expands far beyond it |
Memory Trick
🧠 Remember All Three Statements
Shield AND Sword (Statement 1): Sudarshan Chakra = defence AND offence. Air defence + BMD = shield. Offensive missiles (Pralay, BrahMos) = sword. PM Modi said “hit back many times more.” Unlike purely defensive systems — this is a dual-role weapon.
100% Indigenous = Strategic Autonomy (Statement 2): The entire mission is developed in India — reducing dependence on Russia’s S-400 and other foreign systems. Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence = strategic autonomy. AI-enabled precision = “precise like the mythical weapon.”
2035 = All Public Places (Statement 3): PM Modi’s exact words: hospitals, railways, centres of faith. By 2035, every Indian civilian space will have security cover. This is what makes it broader than Iron Dome — civilian protection is explicitly stated, not just military bases.
