In what is being billed as a major boost to India's air defence capabilities, the South Asian country is set to conduct user trials of its locally produced man-portable air defence missile system named Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS), recent reports in local media suggested.
According to Indian defence social media accounts, VSHORADS, which is an acronym for Very Short-Range Air Defence System, is on course to be tested by the armed forces of the world's largest democratic nation in April-May.
"It is capable of neutralizing low-altitude threats within a 6km range. This cost-effective & easily deployable close air defense system can protect crucial assets in rugged, high-altitude, & maritime regions," Defence Core, a popular military Twitter handle providing updates on the Indian Armed Forces stated.
It further mentioned that the VSHORADS are primarily developed to destroy enemy planes, helicopters, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) at a range of up to six kilometers.
"The indigenously-developed 4th generation VSHORADS is technically superior to existing MANPADS (man-portable air defence systems) in the Indian armed forces because it has a state-of-the-art uncooled imaging infrared seeker," an official of the Indian Ministry of Defence recently stressed.
While the Indian Army is already incorporating the Russian-origin Igla-S systems to overcome the shortage of man-portable air defence missiles in its arsenal at present, the development related to VSHORADS once again puts the spotlight on the Narendra Modi-led government's thrust on self-reliance in the field of defence.
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With the VSHORADS having the capability to neutralise aerial threats flying at a low altitude, including hostile drones and aircraft, these can be deployed quickly in harsh terrains such as deserts and high mountainous regions due to their higher maneuverability and mobility.
Besides, as they are being produced in India, the VSHORADS are cost-effective as their maintenance costs would be quite low compared with similar platforms of foreign origin.
It should be noted that the Indian Army's original plan to induct more than five thousand VSHORADS during the late 2000s did not materialise.
This prompted the Indian Army to seek time-tested partner Russia's help and Moscow wasted little time in agreeing to supply Igla-S MANPADS to New Delhi.
However, amid heightened tensions with its twin neighbors - Pakistan and China, India is leaving no stone unturned to keep its armed forces operationally ready for any eventuality.
Against this background, the VSHORADS are expected to form the first layer of India's air defence missile shield which would be headlined by possibly the world's best long-range air defence system, the S-400.