Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme

Prithvi Air Defence (PAD)
Type	Exo-atmospheric Anti-ballistic missile
Place of origin	India
Service history
In service	Induction Phase
Production history
Manufacturer	Defence Research and Development Organisation
Produced	26 November 2006
Specifications
Detonation mechanism	Proximity
Engine	Two Stage
Propellant	Liquid fuel propelled first stage with two propellants and oxidisers, solid fuel propelled second stage with gas thruster.
Operational range	2,000 km (1,200 mi)
Flight altitude	80 km (50 mi)
Speed	Mach 5+
Guidance system	Inertial Navigation System Ground-based mid-course correction Active radar homing (Terminal phase)
Launch platform	Tatra TEL 8 × 8

Advanced Air Defence (AAD)
Advanced Air Defence (AAD) missile being launched during Electronic Target Trials on 2 December 2007 from Abdul Kalam island (Wheeler Island) Test Range in Odisha.
Type	Endoatmospheric Anti-ballistic missile
Place of origin	India
Service history
In service	Induction Phase
Production history
Manufacturer	DRDO
Produced	6 December 2007
Specifications
Weight	1,200 kg (2,600 lb)
Length	7.5 m (25 ft)
Diameter	<0.5 m (1.6 ft)
Detonation mechanism	Kinetic Kill (Hit-to-Kill)
Engine	Single Stage
Propellant	Solid fuel
Flight ceiling	30 km (19 mi) SAM operational range = 150 km (93 mi) - 200 km (120 mi)
Speed	Mach 4.5
Guidance system	Inertial Navigation System Mid-course update Active radar homing (Terminal phase)
Launch platform	Tatra TEL 8 × 8 manoeuvrability g-limits=between +25 to +30g

The Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme is an initiative to develop and deploy a multi-layered ballistic missile defence system to protect from ballistic missile attacks.

Introduced in light of the ballistic missile threat from mainly Pakistan, it is a double-tiered system consisting of two land and sea-based interceptor missiles, namely the Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) missile for high altitude interception, and the Advanced Air Defence (AAD) Missile for lower altitude interception. The two-tiered shield should be able to intercept any incoming missile launched from 5,000 kilometres away. The system also includes an overlapping network of early warning and tracking radars, as well as command and control posts.

The PAD was tested in November 2006, followed by the AAD in December 2007. With the test of the PAD missile, India became the fourth country to have successfully developed an anti-ballistic missile system, after United States, Russia, and Israel. The system has undergone several tests but system is yet to be officially commissioned.

Since the early 90s, India has faced the threat of ballistic missile attacks from Pakistan against which it has fought multiple wars in the past and also from China. With the heightening of tensions in the region, and in response to Pakistan's deployment of M-11 missiles bought from China, the Indian Government in August 1995 procured six batteries of Russian S-300 Surface-to-air missiles to protect New Delhi and other cities. In May 1998, India for the second time (since its first test in 1974) tested nuclear weapons (see Pokhran-II), followed by Pakistan (see Chagai-I) with its first-ever nuclear test. With Pakistan's testing of nuclear weapons and missile delivery systems, this threat intensified. India has also developed and tested missile delivery systems (see IGMDP).