What Is Sudarshan Chakra? Indian Air Force's S-400 Air Defence Which Neutralised Pakistani Missiles

The Indian Air Force on Wednesday night activated the S-400 Sudarshan Chakra air defense system to intercept and neutralise multiple aerial threats, amid rapidly escalating tensions with Pakistan. It is named after the Hindu mythological Sudarshan Chakra, a divine discus, attributed to Hindu deity Vishnu in the Hindu scriptures. The S-400 Triumf also known as Sudarshan Chakra in India, is a Russian-origin, advanced long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system.

The activation of the long-range air defense system follows Operation Sindoor, launched by India on the intervening night of May 6 and 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This retaliatory strike was in direct response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which killed 26 innocent civilians, including one Nepali national.

On the night of May 7–8, Pakistani military reportedly launched drones and missiles aimed at key Indian military installations in Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, and Amritsar, the attacks were effectively foiled, with debris currently being recovered from multiple locations.

The S-400 system, has a range of up to 400 kilometers and can track and neutralise dozens of targets simultaneously, it has been fully operational in three squadrons since 2025. It can track, and engage a wide array of aerial threats including stealth aircraft, fighter jets, drones, and cruise or ballistic missiles-at ranges up to 400 km.

India has procured five squadrons from Russia, with three already operational and two more expected to arrive by 2026. The Rs 35,000 crore deal for five S-400 squadrons was signed in 2018.

Each S-400 squadron consists of two batteries, each equipped with six launchers, advanced radar, and a control center, supporting up to 128 missiles per battery.