IAF Chief Reveals: S-400 Shot Down 5 Pak Jets, 1 AWACS in Operation Sindoor

IAF Chief confirms S-400 destroyed 5 Pak fighter jets & 1 AWACS (300km kill) during Operation Sindoor. Details precision strikes on 9 terror camps post-Pahalgam attack, including Muridke & Bahawalpur HQs. First official disclosure of Pak losses showcases India’s upgraded defense capabilities and strategic deterrence posture.

Bengaluru: Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh made public the first official details of the actual damage caused to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor during an event held in Bengaluru. He revealed that India's S-400 air defense system shot down 5 fighter jets and 1 AWACS/ELINT (aircraft intelligence gathering) aircraft of the Pakistani Air Force. This AWACS aircraft was destroyed from a distance of 300 kilometers, which demonstrates the deadly accuracy of the S-400.

Operation highlights

1. S-400—Game Changer: The Air Force Chief described this Russian-origin air defense system as a "game-changer" that stopped the Pakistani Air Force from coming near the Indian border.

2. Response to Pahalgam attack: After the 2019 Pahalgam terror attack, India targeted 9 terror camps in Pakistan, including the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke and Jaish-e-Mohammed in Bahawalpur.

3. Precise targeting: According to satellite images and video footage from the weapons, the meeting halls and residential areas of the terrorists were completely destroyed.

4. Inter-service coordination: Better coordination between 8 agencies and all three forces (land, water, and air) made this operation successful.

This is the first time India has officially disclosed the damage caused to Pakistan. S-400 prevented Pakistan from using its long-range glide bombs (like Rahat/Spice-2000). 7 targets were near the border, while 2 targets (Muridke and Bahawalpur) were in the interior of Pakistan.

Political message

The Air Force chief clarified that the operation was not just a "symbolic retaliation" but a message to Pakistan that India can reach the "heart of the terror leadership" (headquarters). He said, "We deliberately showed that we can target not only the launchpads across the border but also the headquarters of terror."

This expose reflects India's growing military capabilities and the strategy of a "new India" where no stone is left unturned in retaliation against terrorism. Advanced weapons like the S-400 have given India a capability that pushes Pakistan back strategically.