The Indian Army has completed high-altitude trials of the indigenously developed Akash Prime air-defence missile system, registering two direct hits on high-speed unmanned aerial targets at more than 15,000 feet in eastern Ladakh on 16 July, officials said. The two-day exercise was led by the Army Air Defence Corps in collaboration with scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the missile’s developer. Akash Prime is an upgraded variant of the Akash system, incorporating an entirely Indian active radio-frequency seeker and ground equipment adapted for extreme cold and low-oxygen environments. Designed to intercept threats at ranges of about 25–30 kilometres and deployable up to 4,500 metres in altitude, the missile will equip the Army’s third and fourth Akash regiments and reinforce India’s layered air-defence architecture. Military officials noted the system had earlier seen operational use during Operation Sindoor, underscoring New Delhi’s push for self-reliance in critical defence technologies.