New Delhi: Pakistan made extensive efforts to locate India’s S-400 air defence systems during Operation Sindoor, including activating suspected spies and sleeper cells, according to retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra.
Mishra said the Russian made S-400 systems played a crucial role in preventing Pakistani aircraft from approaching within around 200 kilometres of the Indian border during the military operation in May 2025.
According to Mishra, Pakistan considered the S-400 its most significant aerial threat and tried various methods to identify the locations of the systems. He also claimed that Pakistan received satellite based assistance from other countries to gather information about Indian military positions.
The S-400, known in India as the “Sudarshan Chakra”, is a mobile, long range surface to air missile system designed to counter multiple types of aerial threats. Its ability to detect and engage targets at long distances makes it a key component of India’s air defence network.
Mishra further claimed that Pakistani aircraft attempting to operate in the area faced the threat of S-400 interception. He said Indian operators were able to engage an aerial target at a distance of 314 kilometres, describing it as the longest surface to air engagement of its kind.
Operation Sindoor was launched by India on May 7 and 8, 2025, following the Pahalgam terror attack. The operation involved precision strikes against terrorist infrastructure.
Mishra said the armed forces were given operational freedom while being instructed to minimise civilian casualties. The objective, he said, was to target terrorists and their handlers rather than ordinary civilians.
India signed a $5.43 billion agreement with Russia in 2018 to acquire five S-400 air defence systems, strengthening the country’s long range aerial defence capabilities.
