Unexpected Validation from Indian Media
Despite Indian media’s consistent efforts to discredit Pakistan’s claim of disabling two S-400 air defence systems, a local Indian news report appears to have inadvertently supported it. On May 13, the website First Bihar Jharkhand reported that a soldier named Rambabu Kumar Singh, stationed in Jammu and Kashmir, was killed during hostilities with Pakistan. According to the report, Singh was an S-400 system operator.
The report quoted Singh’s father-in-law, who confirmed that he had been operating the high-tech S-400 system and had reported for duty on April 10. Singh was reportedly killed by Pakistani Army fire around 1:30 PM on Monday — during the height of Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, a large-scale retaliatory operation by Pakistan.
This local account stands in contrast to the Indian government’s public dismissal of Pakistani claims, and adds credibility to the assertion that critical S-400 infrastructure may have been compromised during the conflict.
Pakistan’s Targeting of S-400s in Focus
According to Pakistani sources, two S-400 units were targeted during the operation. One was stationed at Adampur Air Base, which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi later visited, and the second was deployed at Udhampur in IIOJK (Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir).
While Modi’s photo-op in front of an S-400 launcher was used to discredit Pakistani claims, military experts pointed out a critical omission — the radar and command components of the system, which are typically targeted in a disabling strike, were not shown. Launchers alone do not constitute full operational capability.
This omission has led some analysts to believe that Pakistan may have indeed struck vital nodes of India’s air defence setup, even if the physical launchers remained intact or were quickly replaced for visual effect.
Precision Weapons and Tactical Advantage
Pakistan reportedly employed CM-400AKG hypersonic missiles, launched from JF-17 Thunder aircraft, to conduct these strikes. The CM-400AKG features passive radar homing, a guidance method that allows it to lock onto enemy radar emissions without revealing its own presence. This would make it especially effective against systems like the S-400, which rely on constant electromagnetic emissions for detection and targeting.
This missile’s ability to detect and home in on electronic signals covertly supports the theory that Pakistan specifically targeted radar or command-and-control assets, rather than just missile tubes, thereby crippling the S-400’s operational integrity without necessarily creating visible destruction.
The death of an Indian soldier allegedly linked to S-400 operations has raised fresh questions about India’s official narrative. As Pakistan continues to highlight its precision capabilities and tactical advancements, local Indian media — perhaps unintentionally — has added another layer of credibility to Pakistan’s S-400 strike claim. Whether or not this changes the broader discourse remains to be seen, but it undeniably complicates India’s attempts to dismiss the story.
