India Expands Akash Missile Sales to Central Asia, Challenging Russian and Chinese Influence

India has initiated the export of its domestically manufactured Akash surface-to-air missile systems to nations in Central Asia, providing a cost-effective and reliable substitute for Russian and Chinese military equipment. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh announced these recent transactions last Thursday, referring to the Akash as "one of our success stories" and suggesting that other countries have shown interest. Developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation, the Akash is a short-range missile system designed to engage multiple targets at once while offering resistance to electronic jamming. The Defence Ministry states it can hit aerial targets at altitudes ranging from 100 metres to 20km (328 feet to 12½ miles) and has an operational range of 4.5km to 25km. Each missile measures 5.87 metres (19 feet) in length, weighs approximately 710kg (1,565lbs), and employs command guidance for target acquisition. These agreements are significant for Russia and China, as they present Central Asian countries with a reliable, low-cost alternative to traditional arms suppliers, potentially altering regional defence procurement dynamics.