India's indigenous Akash air defence system has been exported to three countries, Armenia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has said, describing the missile as one of the country's defence export success stories.
Speaking to ANI in an interaction, Singh said Armenia was the first customer and has taken multiple batteries of the system.
"Thereafter, we've also exported it to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Production has stabilised. We have additional orders for our own services, and I'm sure there will be many more from various parts of the world," he said.
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The Defence Secretary called the Akash Surface-to-Air Missile system a key milestone in India's push for self-reliance in military technology. He said the programme has moved into a stabilised production phase, backed by strong domestic orders and a widening presence in international defence markets.
"Akash, I would say that it is one of our success stories. It shows the maturing of our indigenous missile design and production system. It is effective in dealing with high-velocity aerial targets," Singh said.
Production of the system has stabilised, with procurement for the Indian Armed Forces continuing even as orders from foreign nations grow, according to the report.
Akash is a short-range surface-to-air missile system developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation and manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited.
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It is designed to engage supersonic targets at ranges of up to 25-30 km, and up to 50 km for newer variants such as Akash-NG. The system uses ramjet propulsion and command guidance.
Singh's remarks come amid a sustained government push to expand defence exports. Earlier in September, he described cost advantage as one of India's unique selling points in the global arms market. He said the ministry expects defence exports to reach Rs 50,000 crore in the next two years.
He made the comments while answering a question at the 13th PAFI Annual Forum 2026, during a panel discussion on building India's competitive advantage. At the event, he also pointed to BrahMos as among the best-known Indian export products.
The Akash exports add to a growing list of indigenous platforms that have found overseas buyers, as India seeks to shift from being one of the world's largest arms importers to a significant supplier.
Armenia's repeat orders, in particular, are being cited by officials as evidence that Indian systems can compete on performance and price.
The ministry has not disclosed the value or delivery timelines of the Tajikistan and Turkmenistan contracts. Singh's statement was the first public confirmation in the interview that both countries had received the system.
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