Akash is the nation's first indigenous, state-of-the-art surface-to-air missile system

In a significant development, the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) handed over the Authority Holding Sealed Particulars (AHSP) of the Akash Weapon System (Indian Army Version) to the Missile Systems Quality Assurance Agency (MSQAA) in Hyderabad on Saturday.

The transfer took place at the Defense Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), a key organization that planned and created the Akash weapon system. As part of the AHSP transfer, Project Akash sealed and delivered to MSQAA the Technical Specification and Quality Document and the drawing of the whole weapon system.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the DRDO, Indian Army, and business community, calling the transfer of the AHSP a "landmark event." He expressed confidence that this would go a long way toward providing the services needed.

DRDO Chairman and Secretary of the Department of Defense Research and Development Agency Samir V. Kamat also complimented the Project Akash team for the first AHSP transfer from the missile cluster to the MSQAA for such a complicated system including missiles and several ground systems.

According to him, the transfer procedure would make it possible to develop the manufacturing schedule for the next missile system.

The Indian Armed Forces have used Akash, the nation's first indigenous, state-of-the-art surface-to-air missile system, to protect Indian skies and provide for national security for almost 10 years.

It has been inducted by the Indian Army and Indian Air Force with order value worth Rs 30,000 crore, which is one of the largest single system orders for an indigenous missile system.

Apart from DRDL, a number of other DRDO labs are involved in the development of the system.

The systems are produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited, Larsen & Toubro, Tata Advanced Systems Limited, Electronics Corporation of India Limited, BEML Limited along with Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and other industries partners.