'Biggest threat...': Ex-Air Marshal says Pak activated spies to track S-400 location during Op Sindoor

Pakistan went to extraordinary lengths to locate India's S-400 air defence systems during Operation Sindoor, even activating spies and sleeper cells inside India, retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra has claimed in an interview with ANI.

Mishra, who served as the chief of the Western Air Command during Operation Sindoor and was awarded the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal, said the S-400 became a major obstacle for Pakistan's air operations during the conflict. According to him, Pakistani fighter aircraft were unable to approach within roughly 200 km of the Indian border because of the threat posed by the long-range air defence system.

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Pakistan desperate to locate India's S-400

Speaking to ANI, Mishra said Pakistan explored multiple methods to determine the location of India's S-400 batteries. "Pakistanis were desperate to find where these S-400s were. They used every available means. They were also getting satellite help from other nations," Mishra said.

He further claimed that Pakistan went beyond satellite and technical intelligence and relied on human intelligence networks operating inside India. "Every time they (Pakistan) got airborne, they were shot by an S-400. The S-400 was the biggest threat as far as they were concerned. They also activated spies and sleeper cells within India to find out where the S-400s were located," he told ANI.

Mishra's remarks suggest that locating the S-400 systems became a key priority for Pakistan during the hostilities. Pakistan also used air intelligence and electronic warfare capabilities in its efforts to identify the systems.

S-400 became a major challenge for Pakistan

According to Mishra, the S-400's long-range capability significantly influenced Pakistan's aerial strategy. The system's ability to detect and engage aircraft from considerable distances meant Pakistani fighter aircraft had to remain well away from India's border.

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The former Air Marshal said Pakistan's efforts to locate the S-400 also helped explain why Indian airbases believed to be associated with the system became important targets during the operation. India's S-400 network has been developed under a 2018 agreement with Russia for five systems. Three systems had already been inducted, while a fourth squadron was received in June 2026.

They were blinded

Mishra also described how India's attacks on Pakistani radar and command infrastructure affected Pakistan's ability to monitor the battlefield. "We destroyed all their radars, including American AN/TPS series ones in Punjab. We also got two of their command and control centres. So, they were blinded," he said.

"The only way they could see was through an airborne radar. My S-400 operator asked me if he could shoot. I said shoot. And when he shot, we got it at 314 km," Mishra said.

The Indian Air Force has separately described an S-400 interception during Operation Sindoor as its longest-range intercept, involving a target around 300 km inside Pakistani territory.

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India could hit anywhere in Pakistan’

Mishra said the destruction of Pakistan's radar and command-and-control infrastructure gave India a significant operational advantage. "India could hit anywhere in Pakistan, and Pakistan could do nothing about it," he said.

His account highlights the importance of layered air defence and battlefield intelligence during Operation Sindoor, while also illustrating the extent to which Pakistan allegedly attempted to identify the locations of India's most important air-defence assets.