India’s S-400 Sudarshan Chakra Missile Shield Foils Pakistan’s Escalatory Bid – OpEd

The S-400, known as “Sudarshan” in Indian service, named after the mythological Sudarshan Chakra, is among the world’s most advanced long-range air defence missile systems, the India Today magazine reported.

India’s air defence capabilities took center stage on May 7 night as the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) S-400 Sudarshan Chakra, air defence missile systems, played a decisive role in thwarting a Pakistani attempt to escalate hostilities by targeting Indian sites.

“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,” the India Today reported quoting a statement from the Indian Minister of Defence (MoD).

Following the engagement, the projectiles 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,” MoD added.T

The move comes amid heightened tensions following India’s recent precision strikes against terror infrastructure across the border part of Operation Sindoor

Integrated with the IAF’s command and control network, each S-400 squadron consists of two batteries, each equipped with six launchers, advanced radar, and a control center, supporting up to 128 missiles per battery.

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.

The S-400 Sudarshan can detect, track, and engage a wide array of aerial threats-including stealth aircraft, fighter jets, drones, and cruise or ballistic missiles-at ranges up to 400 km.

Its arsenal includes multiple missile types, allowing layered defence against simultaneous threats at varying distances and altitudes. The system’s phased array radars and electronic warfare resilience make it highly effective even in contested environments.

In an earlier IAF exercise, the Sudarshan S-400 had demonstrated its prowess by “shooting down” 80 percent of a simulated enemy aircraft package, forcing the remainder to abort their missions.

This level of effectiveness has made Pakistan wary, which has reportedly relocated its F-16 fleet to distant bases to evade detection and engagement by the S-400’s formidable reach.

The successful deployment of the S-400 Sudarshan Chakra has significantly strengthened India’s air defence shield, providing a credible deterrent against both conventional and asymmetric aerial threats.

Its presence has not only foiled immediate escalation attempts but also redefined the strategic calculus in the region, making it a true game changer for the IAF.

Meanwhile, Pakistan claimed that it shot down two Indian fighters using J-10 military aircraft produced by China and India yet to admit its losses.

A top Chinese-made Pakistani fighter plane shot down at least two Indian military aircraft on May 7, two U.S. officials told Reuters news agency, marking a major milestone for Beijing’s advanced fighter jet.

An Indian Air Force spokesperson said he had no comment when asked about the Reuters report.

The performance of a leading Chinese fighter jet against a Western rival is being closely watched in Washington for insights into how Beijing might fare in any showdown over Taiwan or the wider Indo-Pacific.

One U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was high confidence that Pakistan had used the Chinese-made J-10 aircraft to launch air-to-air missiles against Indian fighter jets – bringing down at least two.

Another official said at least one Indian jet that was shot down was a French-made Rafale fighter aircraft.

Both officials said Pakistan’s F-16 aircraft, made by Lockheed Martin , were not used in the shootdown.

Delhi has not acknowledged the loss of any of its planes and instead said it carried out successful strikes against what it said was “terrorist” infrastructure inside Pakistan.

World powers from the U.S. to Russia and China have called for calm in one of the world’s most dangerous, and most populated, nuclear flashpoint regions.

While Reuters reported on May 7 that three Indian planes went down, citing local government officials in India, this marks the first Western confirmation that Pakistan’s Chinese-made jets were used in the shootdowns.

Pakistan’s Defense minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, told Reuters on May 8 that the J-10 was used to shoot down three French-made Rafale planes, which were newly acquired by India.

Altogether, Pakistan says it downed five Indian planes in air-to-air combat.

The Rafale and the model of the J-10 used by Pakistan are both considered generation 4.5 fighter jets, placing them at the leading edge of combat aircraft.

Western analysts and defence industry sources said the live use of some of the advanced weapons that could be deployed in future major power conflicts would be scrutinized in minute detail, but emphasized it was too early to draw firm conclusions.

Social media posts highlighted the face-off between China’s PL-15 air-to-air missile against the Meteor, produced by European missile group MBDA.

The analysts and sources said crucial details were unclear including whether Meteors were carried or how they may have been deployed.