Overview

• The Indian Ministry of Defence has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for 48 launchers, 85 missiles, 48 night-vision sights, and a missile test station under the Buy (Indian) category.
• The new Very Short Range Air Defence Systems (VSHORADS) must feature infrared fire-and-forget technology, a range of over 6 km, and the ability to engage targets at speeds of 400 m/s.
• The systems will be deployed across all three armed services in man-portable, vehicle-mounted, and para-dropped configurations for terminal and point defence roles.
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is advancing an indigenous VSHORADS variant, which successfully completed three flight trials in February 2025.
• This initiative aims to replace the Russian-origin Igla systems currently in service, aligning with India's broader push for self-reliance in critical defence technologies.