The S-400, valued at approximately $1.5 billion, was considered one of India’s most sophisticated defence assets.
The strike came as part of Pakistan’s ongoing ‘Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos’, a series of retaliatory actions following Indian attacks on Pakistani territory targeting mosques and residential areas.
The S-400 system, acquired from Russia in 2018, is a mobile, long-range surface-to-air missile system capable of targeting aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles at ranges up to 400 km.
It comprises missile launchers, a phased-array radar, and a command center, and can engage multiple targets simultaneously. India had deployed three of the five squadrons, with the Adampur unit being one of the primary installations.
In addition to the S-400 strike, Pakistan also announced it had targeted and destroyed several other Indian military sites, including the BrahMos missile storage in Beas, airfields in Udhampur, Suratgarh, and Pathankot, and artillery positions in Dehrangyari.
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated sharply following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which left 26 people dead. India blamed Pakistan-based elements for the attack without presenting evidence. Islamabad categorically rejected the accusations.
In response, India closed the Wagah land border, revoked Pakistani visas, and announced the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty on April 23. Pakistan labelled any disruption to the treaty as an “act of war” and subsequently sealed the Wagah crossing on its side.
The situation further deteriorated on May 6 and 7, with explosions reported in several Pakistani cities including Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Muridke, and Bahawalpur. Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, confirmed that Indian airstrikes had targeted multiple locations. Pakistan responded with air and ground operations under a new military campaign named Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos.
Within the first hour of retaliation, Pakistan claimed to have downed five Indian fighter jets, including four Rafale aircraft. Lt Gen Chaudhry stated that Pakistan had the capability to down more but exercised restraint. Indian media provided limited coverage, with one report by The Hindu later retracted.
International observers, including analysts on CNN, noted the downing of Rafale jets has challenged India’s narrative of regional air superiority. A senior French intelligence official also confirmed the loss of one Rafale aircraft to CNN—the first combat loss for the jet.
In addition, Pakistan’s armed forces reported intercepting and neutralising 77 Israeli-made Harop drones allegedly launched by India. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the drones were brought down using a mix of electronic warfare and conventional air defence systems. ISPR described the drone activity as a “desperate and panicked response” to Pakistan’s defence strikes.
Security sources confirmed that Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos is targeting bases identified as launch points for attacks on civilians and mosques. Pakistan also launched its Al-Fatah missile as part of the operation, in honour of children killed during recent Indian attacks.
The airstrike, reportedly carried out with hypersonic missiles launched from JF-17 fighter jets, was described as a precise operation that neutralized one of India’s most advanced air defense assets, valued at approximately $1.5 billion.
The claim, reported by ChinaDaily and attributed to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations [ISPR], the media wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, marks a significant escalation in the ongoing tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
#Pakistan successfully targeted and destroyed an Indian S-400 air defense system in Adampur, located in Jalandhar district of India’s Punjab state, in an airstrike on Saturday, the Pakistani military said in a statement. #India https://t.co/58RJPBqWj3 pic.twitter.com/2abPFdWZ0C— China Daily (@ChinaDaily) May 10, 2025
The operation, named “Bunyanul Marsoos” or “Concrete Structure,” was launched in response to what Pakistan describes as persistent Indian provocations, targeting multiple high-value military sites across India.
The S-400 Triumf, developed by Russia’s Almaz-Antey, is widely regarded as one of the most sophisticated air defense systems in the world. Capable of engaging targets at ranges up to 400 kilometers and altitudes of 30 kilometers, the system is designed to counter a wide array of aerial threats, including fighter jets, drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.
India acquired its first S-400 units under a $5.43 billion deal signed with Russia in 2018, with deliveries beginning in 2021. The system’s deployment in Punjab, a strategically critical region near the Pakistan border, was intended to bolster India’s air defense capabilities against potential threats from its western neighbor.
*انڈیا کا ائیر ڈیپینڈ سسٹم مکمل ناکام۔۔*
Footage from India, at the receiving end of #Pakistan‘s deadly retaliation in response to Modi regime’s escalation last night. A Russian S-400 system was completely destroyed. #PakistanZindabad#PakistanStrikesBack… pic.twitter.com/boLOrbE5Gd— Abdullah Mumtaz Kahloon (@AMKahloon) May 10, 2025
The S-400’s radar systems, such as the 91N6E Big Bird, provide long-range surveillance, while its suite of missiles, including the 48N6E3 and 40N6E, offer layered defense against diverse targets. Its ability to track up to 100 targets simultaneously and engage 36 makes it a formidable asset in modern warfare.
Pakistan’s claim of destroying such a system, if verified, would represent a significant blow to India’s defense posture. According to the ISPR statement reported by ChinaDaily, the airstrike was executed with precision-guided hypersonic munitions deployed from the JF-17 Thunder, a lightweight, multirole fighter jet co-developed by Pakistan’s Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group.
The JF-17, introduced in 2007, is a cornerstone of Pakistan’s air force, designed to replace aging Mirage and F-7 aircraft. With a maximum speed of Mach 1.6 and a combat radius of approximately 1,350 kilometers, the jet is equipped with advanced avionics, including the KLJ-7A active electronically scanned array radar, which enhances its ability to detect and engage targets at long ranges.