In response to a series of escalatory actions by Pakistan, including drone and missile attacks targeting multiple Indian military installations across Northern and Western India on the night of May 7–8, 2025, the Indian Armed Forces launched a coordinated and proportionate counter-operation.

The Indian Ministry of Defence confirmed that India specifically targeted and neutralised Pakistan's air defence radars and systems at several locations, with the air defence system in Lahore being a notable casualty of these strikes.

Late last night, Pakistan tried to target military targets in Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, with drones and missiles, but was completely thwarted by India's Integrated Counter UAS Grid and advanced air defence systems, including the S-400 platform. Debris from intercepted Pakistani drones and missiles was recovered across various Indian locations, substantiating the scale and intent of the attacks.

Despite these provocations, India reiterated its commitment to a focused, measured, and non-escalatory response, emphasising that its military actions were confined to the same operational domain and intensity as Pakistan's, and that civilian infrastructure was deliberately avoided.

The Indian strikes inflicted significant damage on Pakistan’s Chinese-supplied HQ-9 air defence missile systems, particularly those deployed in Lahore and Sialkot, thereby exposing vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s layered air defence network.

The HQ-9, a long-range, mobile surface-to-air missile system, forms the backbone of Pakistan’s airspace denial strategy around strategic cities like Lahore. Its neutralisation by Indian forces marks a substantial setback for Pakistan’s air defence capability.

These developments followed India's earlier Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, resulting in the reported elimination of more than 100 Muslim terrorists.

The Indian government clarified that while military establishments were not initially targeted, any attack on Indian military targets would prompt a robust and proportionate response. Following the neutralisation of Lahore’s air defence system, Pakistan escalated unprovoked firing across the Line of Control, leading to civilian casualties in Jammu and Kashmir, which further compelled India to respond to halt the aggression.

India’s actions demonstrate both its technological edge and strategic restraint, with the S-400 and other indigenous systems providing a significant advantage in intercepting and neutralising aerial threats. The situation remains tense, with India maintaining high alertness and reiterating its intent to avoid further escalation, contingent upon reciprocal restraint from Pakistan.

Agencies