Watch: In a first, India uses laser-based weapon to shoot down aircraft, missiles and drones; joins select list of countries that have capability

TOI News Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Apr 13, 2025, 17:54 IST

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India has achieved a significant milestone in defense technology with the successful demonstration of a 30-kilowatt laser weapon system capable of neutralizing aerial threats like drones and missiles. Developed by the DRDO, this directed-energy weapon is ready for production and deployment, placing India among a select group of nations with advanced laser capabilities.

Watch: In a first, India uses laser-based weapon to shoot down aircraft, missiles and drones; joins select list of countries that have capability

India has successfully demonstrated its capability to neutralise fixed-wing aircraft, missiles, and swarm drones using a 30-kilowatt laser-based weapon system, marking a significant milestone in the nation's defense technology.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) developed this directed-energy weapon (DEW), which is now ready for production and deployment across various military platforms.
With this achievement, India joins an elite group of countries, including the United States, China, and Russia, that possess advanced laser weapon capabilities.

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DRDO chairman Dr Samir V Kamat said: "This is just the beginning of the journey. The synergy that this lab has achieved with other DRDO labs, industry and academia, I am sure we will reach our destination soon... We are also working on other high energy systems like high energy microwaves, electromagnetic pulse. So we are working on a number of technologies that will give us Star Wars capability. What you saw today was one of the components of Star Wars technologies."
"As far as I know, it is the United States, Russia and China that have demonstrated this capability. Israel is also working on similar capabilities, I would say we are the fourth or fifth country in the world to demonstrate this system," he added.

The 30-kilowatt laser weapon system is designed to counter aerial threats such as drones and helicopters within a range of 5 kilometers.
It features advanced electronic warfare capabilities, including jamming communication and satellite signals.
Its versatility allows it to be adapted for both ground-based and shipborne applications, enhancing India's defense readiness across multiple domains. The system is equipped with a 360-degree Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) sensor for precise targeting and can be rapidly deployed via air, rail, road, or sea.
Dr BK Das, Director General (Electronics & Communication System) DRDO, said: "For the first time, we are showing a technology in use and its devastation. This shows how far we are going in our technology maturity... What you saw is a completely indigenous product of many DRDO laboratories working in synergy with startups, academic institutions and industries. We are confident that we are going to reach high power very soon... We are planning to deploy similar systems with slight modifications on ships to prove the capability."
Dr Jagannath Nayak, director of the Centre for High Energy System, and Sciences (CHESS), DRDO said: "Whatever we have achieved today is a great success, and we have seen that we have neutralised fixed-wing aircraft at long range and then we have also seen that we have neutralised swarm drone... with the laser weapon, we can neutralise multiple targets. So, this is one of the new and emerging weapon systems. It is a massless weapon and the concentration of laser light falls on the target and neutralises it. So this is an achievement for our country and DRDO."
India's efforts in directed-energy weapons extend beyond the 30-kilowatt system.
The DRDO is also developing more powerful systems, such as the 300-kilowatt "Surya" laser weapon, which boasts an operational range of 20 kilometers.
This system is designed to target high-speed aerial threats like missiles and unmanned aerial systems (UAS), further strengthening India's position in modern warfare. These advancements align with global trends emphasizing high-power lasers for missile defense and counter-drone operations.

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