India's 'Sudarshan Chakra' that destroyed Pak projectiles

NEW DELHI: Apart from intercepting missiles and drones fired by Pakistan at 15 cities in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, India also destroyed Pakistan's air defence system. The Russian-made S-400 Triumph air defence system was used to shoot down the missile before it could enter Indian soil.

The $5.43 billion deal was signed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018. India ordered five S-400 missile systems. Three were handed over by Russia. These are deployed on the Pakistan and China borders. The first unit, deployed in Punjab in 2021, shook Pakistan on Thursday.

Putin gave the S-400 to his close ally India despite opposition from China and threats from the United States. China already has access to the S-300 provided by the Soviet Union and the S-400 by Russia.

Pakistan has the H.Q-9, a Chinese-developed copy of the S-300. The H.Q-9 in Lahore was destroyed on Thursday by India using drones.

S-400:

• Considered the world's best air defence system

• Designed by Russia's Almaz Central Design Bureau

• Can simultaneously destroy multiple targets up to 400 km away

• Features an autonomous detection and targeting multi-purpose radar

• Can track and destroy even fighter jets and ballistic missiles

• 9M83/92 (SA-21 Growler), 9M96 (SA-24 Grinch) deadly missiles

• Can be mounted on mobile launchers and deployed at convenient locations