Recent high-resolution satellite imagery has confirmed the operational status of the Indian Air Force's (IAF) advanced S-400 Triumf air defence missile systems at three strategic locations.
The key surveillance radars of the system are clearly visible at airbases in Adampur, Bhuj, and Jodhpur, directly contradicting claims made by Pakistan in May 2025 that its forces had successfully destroyed one of the units.
During the cross-border military exchanges in May 2025, referred to as "Operation Sindoor," the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had announced that it had destroyed an S-400 radar installation at the Adampur Air Force Station.
Officials in Islamabad had claimed that a PAF JF-17 fighter jet executed a precision strike with a smart bomb. Similar assertions were made regarding the "neutralization" of the S-400 unit deployed at Bhuj.
These claims were widely circulated through official Pakistani military channels, accompanied by low-resolution images purporting to show the damage.
However, analysis of new commercial satellite images by independent open-source intelligence (OSINT) experts has invalidated these assertions.
The imagery, sourced from commercial providers like Maxar and Planet Labs, shows no evidence of craters, scorch marks, or any other form of damage at the S-400 deployment sites in Adampur, Bhuj, or Jodhpur.
The large 91N6E surveillance radar, a critical component of the S-400 system, appears fully intact and operational at all three locations.
The S-400 Triumf, a Russian-made mobile surface-to-air missile platform, is one of the most advanced air defence systems in the world.
Its 91N6E radar, often nicknamed "Cheeseboard," is a long-range surveillance radar capable of detecting and tracking up to 300 targets simultaneously, including stealth aircraft, drones, and ballistic missiles, at a range of up to 600 kilometres.
India began inducting the first of five ordered S-400 regiments in 2021, significantly enhancing its air defence shield.
The conspicuous placement of these high-value assets, without extensive camouflage or concealment in hardened shelters, is being interpreted by defence analysts as a deliberate strategic message from the IAF.
This display of operational confidence serves to reassure the public of the nation's defence preparedness and simultaneously acts as a psychological counter to Pakistan's earlier claims.
By demonstrating that its most critical air defence systems remain active and vigilant, the IAF is reinforcing the integrity of its multi-layered defence network along the western border.
