Akash air defence system reaches Turkmenistan: Check its capabilities as it joins Chinese systems to protect the Central Asian country

India’s indigenous Akash air defence missile system has entered Turkmenistan, adding an Indian-made surface-to-air weapon to a country that is also fielding Chinese air defence systems. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh confirmed that India has exported Akash to Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, following Armenia as the system’s first foreign customer.

Speaking to ANI, Singh said Armenia had acquired multiple Akash batteries and that India subsequently exported the system to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. He described Akash as one of India’s defence export success stories and said production of the missile system had stabilised, while highlighting its ability to deal with high-velocity aerial targets.

The Turkmenistan export gives the Indian system a place in a Central Asian country’s increasingly diverse air-defence inventory. Turkmenistan has also inducted Chinese-made systems, including the short-range FK-2000, while the FD-2000, KS-1A and FM-90 have been displayed as part of its air-defence formation.

Akash air defence system: What can India’s missile do?

Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Akash is a short-range surface-to-air missile system designed to protect vulnerable areas and points against aerial threats. The system is configured on mobile platforms and can operate in either group or autonomous mode. It also has built-in electronic counter-countermeasures, or ECCM, intended to improve its resistance to electronic jamming.

According to Bharat Dynamics Limited, the Akash has an operating range of 4.5 km to 25 km and can engage targets at altitudes ranging from 100 metres to 20 km. The missile is about 5.87 metres long, weighs around 710 kg and uses command guidance. Its listed target set includes helicopters, fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The weapon system is designed to engage multiple targets simultaneously and is fully automatic, with the overall system built for mobility and rapid deployment. Official Indian government information has also described Akash as capable of providing short-range air-defence cover against aircraft, helicopters and UAVs.

The Akash programme has since expanded beyond the original system. India has developed variants including Akash Prime and Akash-NG, with upgrades involving seekers, radars and other system components. Akash Prime, for example, has been configured for operations at altitudes above 4,500 metres and uses an indigenously developed radio-frequency seeker.

Turkmenistan already has Chinese air defence systems

The Akash export comes as Turkmenistan continues to add newer air-defence equipment from different suppliers. At an Independence Day military parade in Ashgabat on September 27, eight Chinese-made FK-2000 vehicles were displayed for the first time publicly in the country.

China Daily reported that the FK-2000 was shown in the air-defence formation behind three other Chinese-built systems, the FD-2000, KS-1A and FM-90. The FK-2000 is an all-weather, short-range air-defence system that combines missiles and guns on a mobile platform. It can use either the missile or gun component, or both, depending on the threat.

The FK-2000 was developed by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and is designed as a mobile terminal air-defence system. Its presence means the Indian Akash will be entering an air-defence environment where Chinese systems are already part of Turkmenistan’s military inventory.

This does not mean that Akash and the Chinese systems are integrated into a single network. Rather, Turkmenistan is adding an Indian-origin system alongside equipment sourced from China, reflecting the country’s mix of defence suppliers.

Akash export expands India’s presence in Central Asia

Armenia was the first foreign customer for Akash, while the confirmation of exports to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan gives the system a wider presence in Central Asia. The development also marks another step in India’s effort to expand defence exports beyond components and smaller equipment towards complete indigenous weapons systems.

India’s defence export push has accelerated in recent years. Official figures from the Ministry of Defence show that defence exports reached a record Rs 38,424 crore in financial year 2025-26, an increase of Rs 14,802 crore or 62.66% over the previous year. The private sector accounted for 45.16% of exports, while Defence Public Sector Undertakings contributed 54.84%.

The export of Akash to Turkmenistan therefore places an indigenous Indian air-defence system in the same national arsenal as multiple Chinese air-defence platforms, while extending India’s defence equipment presence further into Central Asia.