As drone use rises, India back to Tunguska Shield

New Delhi: Amid rising drone threats, India has placed fresh orders for Tunguska air defence missiles from Russia, reviving and upgrading a legacy system now adapted for counter-unmanned warfare.

The defence ministry on Friday signed a ₹445 crore deal to procure new missiles for the system, originally inducted in the 1990s. "These cutting-edge missiles will enhance India's multilayered air defence against aerial threats, including aircraft, drones and cruise missiles," officials said, adding that the deal further strengthens the Indo-Russian strategic partnership.

The upgraded missiles are tailored to counter low-flying drones, which have exposed gaps in high-end systems like the S-400 that are optimised for larger, faster targets.


A key vulnerability of expensive platforms such as the S-400 is their exposure to low-cost drone swarms. Flying at low altitudes, these drones can overwhelm defences, inflicting damage even if a small fraction penetrates.

India and Russia have for years discussed upgrades to the Tunguska system, which combines surface-to-air missiles with twin 30 mm guns to tackle small, slow-moving aerial threats. As a close-in weapon system, it can create a dense defensive fire envelope against incoming drones.

The platform is also mobile, allowing it to move with armoured formations and provide protective cover to critical assets such as S-400 radars and launchers.