NEW DELHI – In a display of cutting-edge defence capability, India’s S-400 air defence systems—nicknamed the ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ after the mythological weapon of Lord Vishnu—were deployed for the first time in combat on the night of May 7–8, intercepting aerial threats launched from Pakistan. This marked a significant milestone in India's evolving air defence posture.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Indian Army confirmed:
“On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks."
The response from the Indian Armed Forces was swift and measured.
“Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised,” the statement added.
According to defence sources quoted by CNN-News18, the S-400 systems were crucial to neutralising the incoming threats. Their activation follows Operation Sindoor, in which India had earlier struck nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
Manufactured by Russia’s Almaz-Antey, the S-400 Triumf is among the world’s most advanced long-range air defence systems. It has been integrated into India's strategic air defence command and is capable of intercepting a wide spectrum of aerial threats—including aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles—at ranges up to 400 km and altitudes up to 30 km.
The system's hallmark features include:
- Multi-target engagement: Can track and engage up to 36 targets simultaneously.
- Rapid activation: Operational within five minutes, offering rapid response capability.
- High speed interception: Neutralises threats moving at speeds up to 4.8 km/s.
- Mobility: Mounted on mobile launchers, enabling quick deployment and repositioning.
- Adaptability: Fully integrable with existing and future defence infrastructure across the Air Force, Army, and Navy.
India signed a ₹35,000 crore deal for five S-400 squadrons with Russia in 2018, of which three are currently operational and two more are expected to be inducted by 2026. In prior IAF exercises, the S-400 system had demonstrated its effectiveness by intercepting 80% of simulated enemy aircraft, with the remaining targets forced to retreat.
The successful deployment of the S-400 during the latest Pakistani provocation—executed with surgical precision and without civilian collateral damage—highlights both the technological maturity of India’s air defence architecture and its policy of strategic restraint.
Beyond its immediate operational success, the activation of the S-400 sends a broader strategic message: India is prepared to defend its sovereign territory with decisive force while maintaining a defensive posture. As a deterrent, the presence of such advanced systems is expected to reshape the calculus of future aerial confrontations.
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