Pakistan‘s claim of destroying India‘s S-400 missile systems kept surfacing sporadically, apparently to satisfy the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) ego and to cover the massive defeat in Op Sindoor, wherein nearly 20 percent of PAF capability was blunted. A Pakistani narrative had to be built because of successful Indian strikes against nine PAF airbases and many radars, including the Lahore-based HQ-9 air-defence system. The Pakistani security establishment had gone into a huddle, and to assuage the hurt feelings of its poor masses, it started a war of narratives. Pakistan, backed by China, claimed that its hypersonic missiles fired from JF-17 fighter jets destroyed or severely damaged India‘s S-400 air defence system in Adampur. The same was repeated by Pakistan‘s state-run PTV. China‘s Xinhua News Agency and the news outlet Global Times also ran the same news in a coordinated way with their Pakistani counterparts. Early on May 10 itself, an Indian government press release termed the Pakistani and Chinese media reports false and motivated.
S-400 Missile System “Sudarshan Chakra”
The S-400 is a Russian mobile SAM system developed in the 1990s by Russia‘s NPO Almaz as an upgrade to the S-300 family of missiles. The S-400 joined the Russian Armed Forces in 2007. The system is complemented by its successor, the S-500. The S-400 system has four radars and four sets of missiles covering different ranges and vertical bubbles. The maximum target detection range is 600 kilometres, and targets can be engaged as far as 400 kilometres. The five batteries of S-400 contracted by India in 2018 cost $5.43 billion, including reserve missiles.
All sub-units are data-linked and controlled by a central command and control system with sufficient redundancy. The system is capable of layered defence and integrates with other Indian air defences. One system can control 72 launchers, with a maximum of 384 missiles. All missiles are equipped with directed explosion warheads, which increases the probability of complete destruction of aerial targets. The system is designed to destroy aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, and it can also be used against ground targets. It can engage targets travelling up to 17,000 km/h or Mach 14. It can intercept low-flying cruise missiles at a range of about 40 km due to line-of-sight requirements. The anti-ballistic missile (ABM) capabilities of the S-400 system are near the maximum allowed under the (now void) Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty. The number of simultaneously engaged targets by the full system is 36.
The system’s ground mobility speed is close to 60 km/h on roads and 25 km/h cross-country. It takes five minutes to become operational and fire when ordered while driving. Otherwise, the system response time is just 10 seconds. The time between major overhauls is 10,000 hours. The service life is at least 20 years.
In Russia, the system was made operational around Moscow in 2007. Russia reportedly deployed the S-400 in Syria. The system has been widely used in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and is claimed to have shot down many aircraft. Meanwhile, Ukraine has reportedly used Western weapons, mainly U.S.-made ATACMS missiles, to hit S-400 units on the ground.
Belarus has an unspecified number of S-400 units. Deliveries to China of the six batteries ordered began in January 2018. Four batteries consisting of 36 fire units and 192 or more missiles were delivered to Turkey. Algeria is another operator. Some other countries, like Iran, Egypt, Iraq, and Serbia, have also shown interest. South Korea is developing the KM-SAM, a medium-range SAM system based on technology from S-400 missiles, with assistance from NPO Almaz.
Three of the five batteries have arrived in India. India took deliveries despite the American threat of CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act). The remaining two are expected in 2025/26. The recent conflict revealed the rough locations of two systems, with one each in Punjab and Gujarat. According to open sources, the third is somewhere in the east. The systems have been tested in various Indian military exercises.
IAF Claims of S-400 Success
Speaking at the “Katre Memorial Lecture,” a function organised by the Air Force Association in Bengaluru, the Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief, AP Singh, made a specific mention of the deterrent capability of the S-400 air defence system, which played a game-changer role in Op Sindoor. He mentioned that strong hostile air defence systems forced both sides to maintain their airborne assets deeper inside their own territory and use accurate long-range stand-off precision weapons. Also, the side with better air defence systems could inflict significant damage and deter the adversary from carrying out strikes.
The Air Chief stated that nearly five Pakistani fighter aircraft had been shot down in the air by the Indian S-400. Interestingly, the S-400 achieved its farthest kill ever by destroying a High Value Air Asset (HVAA) at nearly 300 kilometres. In addition, at least three F-16s and one C-130 were destroyed during airfield strikes, the Air Chief said.
Adampur Airbase
Historically, the Adampur airbase (midway between Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur) has played a pivotal role in previous conflicts with Pakistan, most importantly during the 1965 war. Its strategic geographical location, just 100 km from the border, makes it vital for India‘s northern air defences. Adampur was also the prime target during the 1965 Indo-Pak war, but it was the only airbase Pakistan could not penetrate. The airbase housed key aircraft like the Su-7 and MiG-21. It also had an important missile and radar unit.
The first S-400 air defence unit was deployed at the Adampur airbase in 2022. Presently, it houses some of the IAF‘s premier fighter squadrons, including MiG-29s and Su-30 MKIs. The Adampur airbase, with its advanced surveillance and radar systems, is critical in securing and safeguarding states like Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and Rajasthan.
Pakistan was left red-faced again as a geo-intelligence expert fact-checked the country after some Pakistani reports claimed that its military struck India‘s Adampur airbase and destroyed fighter aircraft during the four-day military conflict. According to Damien Symon, the report alleged that Pakistan struck the Adampur airbase in Punjab and damaged a Sukhoi Su-30 MKI aircraft. However, they had shared a satellite image taken in March 2025, two months before the conflict, showing a MiG-29 undergoing maintenance, and the dark soot seen near the engine test pad was routine.
Pakistani and Chinese Reports
At the May 11 tri-service news briefing, PAF’s Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmad revealed that the PAF had been tracking the S-400 air defence system via satellite imagery “well before the hostilities.” Explaining that attacking the S-400 system was the “easier part” compared to “identifying it on the ground”, he presented satellite images that showed the PAF had “pinpointed” the system’s “cheeseboard radar.” During the fighting, Pakistan also said it had downed six Indian military jets, including at least three Rafale fighters—a claim that Indian military officials described as “absolutely incorrect”.
Pakistan‘s state-run PTV reported that PAF’s hypersonic missiles destroyed the S-400 system in Adampur. China‘s Xinhua News Agency had also claimed a Pakistani JF-17 Thunder jet destroyed India‘s S-400 air defence system in India‘s Punjab, and this was amplified by the Chinese news outlet Global Times. Xinhua described it as the dawn of a new era in warfare. Chinese media hailed the claim that their missiles were used by Pakistan to destroy an Indian air defence system in what is believed to be their first combat use. Xinhua, in its report, cited military analysts as saying that the destruction of the S-400 could have far-reaching implications for India’s aerial defence and regional deterrence. The Chinese media release was also carried by the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP).
CM-400AKG Missile
The CM-400AKG is a Chinese-developed hypersonic anti-ship missile, launched from high-altitude aircraft like the JF-17, and operated by Pakistan. It features a high-speed, semi-ballistic flight profile, making it difficult to intercept, and has a stated range of roughly 100–240 kilometres. The missile integrates Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) with satellite-aided GNSS and can use a passive radar seeker for terminal guidance, though its actual combat effectiveness remains debated.
Footage released by Pakistani authorities showed two CM-400AKG missiles being used to carry out the mission. They were made by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, or CASIC. It is in China‘s commercial interest to showcase its weapon platforms, such as the JF-17, and weapons like the CM-400 and PL-15 AAM.
Indian Government Fact Checks
The Government of India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) ran a “Fact Check” on a Pakistani social media post claiming the destruction of the IAF’s S-400 system at Adampur. The claim was declared “Fake”, terming the reports of destruction or any damage to an S-400 system as baseless. Addressing a press briefing, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said, “Pakistan has attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of the destruction of the Indian S-400 system and the destruction of airfields at Surat and Sirsa… India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan.”
She also debunked Pakistan‘s claim that they had damaged Indian airbases by showing time-stamped images of the bases in Sirsa and Suratgarh. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, “As you are seeing, Pakistani claims about the activities that they have undertaken continue to be heavy on lies, misinformation, and propaganda. On top of that, this is peddled by the Pakistani state agencies; the claims that they have made about attacking and destroying various military installations in the country are completely false.”
PM Modi’s Visit to Adampur
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a surprise visit to Punjab’s Adampur airbase on May 13. One of the images stood out from the rest, demolishing Pakistan‘s disinformation campaign in one stroke. It showed PM Modi waving at the air warriors, with a MiG-29 jet and an intact S-400 air defence system clearly visible in the background. The messaging debunked Pakistan‘s claim that missiles from its JF-17 fighter jet destroyed the S-400 air defence system in Adampur. PM Modi‘s visit to Adampur, India‘s second-largest fighter airbase, came a day after he sent a strong message to Pakistan, asserting that India had just paused its offensive on terror camps and its military sites. The PM interacted with the Air Force personnel, who had been in the thick of the action, thwarting drone and missile strikes by Pakistan. “It was a very special experience to be with those who epitomise courage, determination, and fearlessness. India is eternally grateful to our Armed Forces for everything they do for our nation,” PM Modi tweeted.
Ground Position on Pakistani Narrative
Adampur had been fully prepared and in action for days as Pakistan targeted the airbase with drones and missiles following India‘s Op Sindoor. As India began taking out the PAF AD system, attacks on Indian airbases and AD systems were expected. The IAF had factored this in and was prepared for it. India’s integrated air defence and anti-drone systems were proactive and on high alert. The IAF was conscious of the need to use the mobility of AD systems. The same had been closely watched in the Russia–Ukraine conflict. The enemy uses satellite-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) to track adversary assets. Eavesdropping is done for Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) to locate emitters. “Shoot and scoot” is the way for AD systems. One of the big strengths of the S-400 is its mobility. Constantly changing position is very important. The IAF used such field tactics.
It is a fact that Pakistan made many attempts to target many IAF airbases and installations, especially Adampur. Most projectiles were intercepted. Some that hit the ground did not have a target to neutralise, either due to poor accuracy or because the system had tactically moved away. After its drones and missiles failed to inflict any major damage in Adampur, Pakistan released fake videos and operationalised its disinformation campaign. Circling a random patch of dirt, the Pakistani military put out what it called a satellite image of a damaged S-400 at the Adampur airbase, proclaiming, “S-400 damaged.”
The image lacked any visible signs of destruction, such as craters, debris, or any damaged equipment. Indian and global social media were quick to point out Pakistan‘s fakery even as India debunked its claims. The string of images posted by the Prime Minister also showed no damage or impact on the vital airbase and its runway. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), U.S.-based South Asia expert Christopher Clary noted that while there was still no concrete evidence of Pakistani success against the S-400, Pakistan would be “at least as likely, if not more likely, to target the command centre or the radar than the launcher” of the air defence system.
Meanwhile, there are reports in the international media that the Pakistan military is purportedly toying with the idea of procuring the S-400 missile air defence system. It surely would not buy an expensive system if it were not convinced of its capabilities. There were rumours afloat recently that Turkey would try to get into the F-35 program once more and, in exchange, sell its S-400 systems to an interested third party, with Pakistan being amongst the names.
Meanwhile, India is considering buying more S-400 squadrons after its success in the Pakistan clash and is simultaneously accelerating its indigenous Kusha Missile Shield. India and Russia are negotiating additional supplies of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, a senior Russian defence export official told the Russian state news agency TASS.
Clearly, it is time to call the Pakistani bluff and the fake news factory run by the Pakistan Army’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Note: The article was originally written by the Author for The Eurasian Times on 14th September 2026; it has since been updated.
Header Picture Credit: Representative Image Generated using AI
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