UAE Minister of State for Defence Affairs, Mohammed Ahmed Al Bowardi Al Falacy was in India recently and he has indicated that the Gulf state is interested in the Akash air defence missile system.

According to a section of Indian media, the UAE government is possibly looking at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) `Made in India’ Akash surface-to-air missile system.

The `Akash’ missile is designed by DRDO and produced by defence PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), has an interception range of 25-km, which are meant to keep fighter aircraft, helicopters and drones from attacking critical installations.