Abu Dhabi: India on Tuesday offered Akash air defense missile system to the Gulf friend country United Arab Emirates. India made this offer during a meeting between Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. This offer has been given to the UAE at a time when the Gulf country is facing the biggest threat in the form of Houthi rebels of Yemen. In such a situation, India's Brahmastra Akash can prove to be very helpful for it. Earlier, India has exported Akash missile to Armenia.
Features of Akash missile
The indigenously built Akash missile system has been built by India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). It is a medium-range surface-to-air (SAM) system, which can eliminate air threats at a distance of 25 kilometers. It is designed to destroy air threats such as fighter jets, cruise missiles and drones. At a speed of Mach 2.5, it has the ability to destroy targets up to a height of 18 kilometers.
Houthis' threat to UAE
Yemen's Houthis have been a threat to ships in the Red Sea for more than a year. Since March 15, the US military has been continuously bombing Houthi bases, but the Houthis do not seem to be bowing down. The Houthis have attacked US naval ships and even Israel. Meanwhile, there are reports that the Houthis can expand their attack to the UAE. Given the capability of the Houthis, this is not a difficult target.
When the Houthis attacked the UAE
Earlier, the Houthi rebels had shown their potential when they launched an unprecedented attack on the UAE using drones and missiles on 17 January 2022. This was the first such attack on the UAE since its formation. Although the UAE successfully thwarted the attack, it brought to the fore the threat posed by the Houthis to the country.
The Houthis still remain a threat
After the Yemen crisis in 2015, the UAE along with the Saudi-led coalition launched a campaign against the Houthis in Yemen. However, the coalition could not stop the Houthi group from capturing Sanaa. The Emirati people have made many sacrifices in the campaign against the Houthis in Yemen. After the Houthi group's coup against the Yemeni government of Sanaa, the threat of the Houthis has now spread far beyond the borders of Yemen.
The Houthis have drones and ballistic missiles acquired from Iran, which can easily reach the UAE. This has further increased the danger. In such a situation, the United Arab Emirates will need a medium-range air defense system to deal with the Houthis. India's Akash can prove to be important in fulfilling this need.
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