Pakistan's sleeper cells in India tried to locate S-400 defence systems during Operation Sindoor: Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra (Retd)

India’s S-400 air defence systems played a decisive role in Operation Sindoor, preventing Pakistani fighter aircraft from approaching within roughly 200 km of the Indian border and forcing Islamabad to deploy extensive intelligence-gathering efforts to locate the missile systems, retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra told ANI in an interview.

Mishra, who headed the Western Air Command during the May 2025 military confrontation, said Pakistan tried hard to identify the positions of India’s S-400 batteries. He said Islamabad used multiple intelligence channels, including satellite-based assistance and espionage networks inside India.

The former air chief, who was awarded the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal, described the Russian-origin air defence system as the most significant obstacle to Pakistan’s air operations during the conflict. Its deployment, he said, fundamentally constrained Pakistan’s ability to operate aircraft close to Indian territory.


According to Mishra, Pakistan sought information on the location of the S-400 systems through sleeper cells and other covert networks operating within India. He also said Pakistan received intelligence support from foreign countries, although he did not identify them.

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India had acquired the S-400 under a deal signed with Russia in 2018 for five systems. Three units had been inducted earlier, while the fourth squadron was delivered in June 2026.

The system combines long-range surveillance radars with surface-to-air missiles and is designed to engage aircraft and other aerial threats at considerable distances.

Mishra said Pakistan’s reliance on airborne surveillance increased after Indian forces destroyed several ground-based radars and command-and-control facilities. These included US-origin AN/TPS-series radars deployed in Pakistan’s Punjab province, he said.

With its terrestrial surveillance network weakened, Pakistan increasingly depended on airborne warning and control systems, or AWACS, for battlefield visibility.

Mishra said an AWACS operating from Sargodha was detected and engaged by an Indian S-400 battery. The engagement took place at a range of 314 km, which he described as the longest surface-to-air interception of its kind in military history.

The former Western Air Command chief said the loss of the airborne surveillance capability further shifted the operational balance in India’s favour, allowing Indian forces to strike targets deeper inside Pakistan while limiting Pakistan’s ability to respond effectively.

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India launched Operation Sindoor following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 25 tourists. Indian forces subsequently targeted nine terror camps on May 7, including facilities linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Mishra said the military had operational latitude to determine how the campaign would be conducted, while the government had directed the armed forces to minimise civilian harm and focus on terrorists and their handlers.

Pakistan initially responded with a limited drone attack on the Adampur airbase, involving around 14-15 drones, all of which were neutralised, according to Mishra. The attacks intensified on May 9, when Pakistan launched hundreds of drones and missiles.

One long-range GPS-guided drone struck a hospital at an air force station and a nearby civilian office, Mishra said. The attack resulted in the death of an airman and caused an injury that required the amputation of another person's arm, he added.

He also said Pakistani forces attempted to target civilian locations and places of worship, prompting India to expand its military response.

On May 10, Indian forces targeted 11 Pakistani military installations, including the Nur Khan and Bholari bases. The escalation was followed by Pakistan seeking a ceasefire later that day, bringing the three-day confrontation to an end.

Mishra also highlighted the contribution of women fighter pilots during the operation. He said female pilots conducted multiple combat missions, including strikes against Lashkar-e-Taiba's Muridke headquarters as well as Pakistani airbases and command-and-control facilities.

The account provides one of the most detailed descriptions yet of the air campaign and the role played by India's long-range air defence network during Operation Sindoor.