Agencies
New Delhi
In Hindu mythology, the Sudarshan Chakra—a divine spinning weapon wielded by Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna—is known for its precision, speed, and ability to destroy evil from a distance. It is these qualities that the Indian Air Force’s S-400 air defence missile systems, nicknamed the ‘Sudarshan Chakra’, relied upon as they made their debut on the intervening night of May 7-8 to intercept aerial threats from Pakistan.
On Thursday, the Indian Army in a statement said: “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.”
“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.”
Defence sources said the S-400 systems were part of India’s arsenal to neutralise incoming threats from Pakistan, which is smarting after Operation Sindoor in which India pounded nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
The S-400, which is among the most advanced long-range air defence systems in the world, was built by Russia’s Almaz-Antey and integrated into India’s strategic air defence command. It is designed to detect, track, and destroy a wide range of aerial threats, including aircraft, drones, missiles, and even ballistic missiles.
The system is capable of intercepting targets at varying ranges and altitudes, making it highly versatile in defence operations.
The key features of the S-400 include multi-target engagement, which means it can simultaneously engage up to 36 targets using its advanced radar and missile systems, making it highly effective in complex air defence scenarios. It can detect and engage targets at distances of up to 400 kilometres with its most advanced missiles, making it effective against long-range threats. It can be activated within five minutes, is “twice as effective as the previous Russian air defence systems” and has the flexibility to be “integrated into the existing and future air defence units of the Air Force, Army and Navy”.
The system can also target aerial threats at altitudes ranging from 0-30 km, including stealth aircraft, drones, and ballistic missiles. The system can intercept targets moving at speeds of up to 4.8 km per second, offering high precision in neutralising fast-moving threats. The system is mounted on mobile launchers, allowing for rapid deployment and repositioning, which makes it harder for adversaries to locate and target.
India has procured five squadrons from Russia, with three already operational and two more expected by 2026. The Rs 35,000-crore deal for five S-400 squadrons was signed in 2018. In an earlier IAF exercise, the Sudarshan S-400 had demonstrated its prowess by “shooting down” 80 per cent of a simulated enemy aircraft package, forcing the remainder to abort their missions.
The deployment of S-400 during Operation Sindoor, which helped the country effectively neutralise threats without causing collateral damage, shows the precision of the systems as well as India’s restraint.
The deployment of the S-400 serves as a deterrent against future aerial threats, reinforcing India’s defensive posture and ensuring the security of its military assets and civilian population.
