Platform profile · India · Indigenous man-portable very-short-range surface-to-air missile system · Indian Army
Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS)
ApprovedDAC accorded AoN on 2026-07-03 for Indian Army procurement of V-SHORADS with multi-spectral sensing.
On 3 July 2026, the Defence Acquisition Council accorded Acceptance of Necessity for Indian Army procurement of V-SHORADS with multi-spectral sensing as part of a wider approximately Rs 52,000 crore package, although no system-specific quantity or value was disclosed. This followed three user-validation flights in final deployment configuration at Chandipur on 27 February 2026, in which field operators destroyed high-speed targets across extreme engagement points. Advanced VSHORADS had also been integrated into DRDO's maiden Integrated Air Defence Weapon System test on 23 August 2025, and Army emergency-procurement contracts covering VSHORADS launchers and missiles were concluded on 24 June 2025. The Army has used imported Igla-S batches to meet its near-term requirement while the indigenous system moved through trials and procurement. VSHORADS matters because a light, high-altitude-capable terminal-defence layer can protect dispersed forces from low-flying aircraft and drones while reducing reliance on imported MANPADS.
Updated 3 Jul 2026
Verified figures
Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| System generation and target set | Fourth generation; intended to intercept fast-moving, manoeuvring aerial targets ↗ |
| Engagement envelope | 0.5-6 km range against targets from 10 m to 3.5 km above ground level ↗ |
| Missile weight | 21.5 kg ↗ |
| Missile dimensions | 2 m long; 90 mm diameter ↗ |
| Launcher | Man-portable tripod launcher weighing 25 kg ↗ |
| Homing head | Uncooled imaging-infrared seeker in the long-wave infrared band ↗ |
| Propulsion | Dual-thrust solid-propellant rocket motor ↗ |
| Warhead | Blast-fragmentation warhead ↗ |
| Counter-countermeasures | Advanced infrared-flare discrimination; DRDO claims jamming immunity from the IIR homing head ↗ |
| Engagement characteristics | Very high single-shot kill probability and hit-to-kill capability; suitable for high-altitude operations ↗ |
| 2026 approved sensing configuration | Multi-spectral sensing intended to improve countermeasure resilience ↗ |
Spec sources: drdo.gov.in ↗ · pib.gov.in ↗
Changelog
Program timeline
-
DAC accorded AoN for Indian Army procurement of V-SHORADS with multi-spectral sensing; the system was included in an approximately Rs 52,000 crore multi-service package, but its own quantity and value were not disclosed.
-
DRDO conducted three successive user-validation trials from ITR Chandipur in final deployment configuration; field operators destroyed high-speed targets at varying speed, range and altitude across extreme engagement points.
-
Advanced VSHORADS participated in the maiden Integrated Air Defence Weapon System flight test off Odisha, in which QRSAM, VSHORADS and a high-power laser simultaneously engaged and destroyed three targets at different ranges and altitudes.
-
The Ministry of Defence concluded 13 Indian Army emergency-procurement contracts totalling Rs 1,981.90 crore whose equipment list included VSHORADS launchers and missiles; the VSHORADS-specific quantity and value were not disclosed.
-
The New Indian Express reported that the Ministry of Defence issued a Buy (Indian) RFP for 48 VSHORADS-NG launchers, 48 night-vision sights, 85 missiles and one missile test station.
-
Three final-configuration trials from Chandipur destroyed reduced-thermal-signature targets mimicking low-flying drones; two field operators conducted weapon readiness, target acquisition and firing.
-
Across 3-4 October, DRDO conducted three Pokhran development trials covering maximum-range and maximum-altitude interception plus approaching, receding and crossing engagements; DRDO declared missile development complete and named two production partners.
-
ThePrint reported that the Army had received 24 Russian Igla-S launchers and 100 missiles from a November 2023 contract for 120 launchers and 400 missiles, and said Igla-S would meet the current requirement before older Igla systems were replaced by advanced VSHORADS.
-
DRDO conducted two portable-launcher trials on 28-29 February at ITR Chandipur against high-speed unmanned targets under different interception scenarios; both targets were destroyed.
-
Two consecutive Chandipur tests from a ground-based man-portable launcher intercepted high-speed unmanned targets mimicking approaching and receding aircraft.
-
DAC accorded AoN under Buy (Indian-IDDM) for the DRDO VSHORAD infrared-homing system within three proposals together valued at Rs 4,276 crore; no VSHORAD-specific value was stated.
-
DRDO conducted two successful VSHORADS flights from a portable ground launcher at ITR Chandipur, publicly demonstrating the indigenous MANPADS and meeting both mission objectives.
0 tagged stories
Coverage
No tagged stories yet — coverage lands here automatically.