In a sharp escalation of the ongoing information warfare between India, Pakistan, and clandestinely by China, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has categorically denied claims that its S-400 air defence system stationed in Adampur was destroyed by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jets.
The claim, first circulated by Pakistan’s state-run broadcaster PTV News, alleged that JF-17 Thunder jets armed with hypersonic missiles had successfully targeted and destroyed India’s S-400 system in Punjab’s Adampur region. The S-400, a sophisticated Russian-made air defence platform, is considered one of India’s most critical strategic assets and is estimated to be worth approximately $1.5 billion.
Adding fuel to the fire, Chinese state media joined the narrative. The Global Times amplified the PTV report in a post on platform X, asserting that “Pakistan Air Force’s JF-17 Thunder’s hypersonic missiles have destroyed India’s S-400 system in Adampur.” The report was by China’s Xinhua News Agency, which cited “military sources” in stating that Pakistan had struck the S-400 system in Punjab.
This has been officially denied by the Indian Air Force. Sino-Pak infowar wet dreams will be big today. pic.twitter.com/eEuEPe9eKe
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) May 10, 2025
However, the Indian Air Force swiftly dismissed these reports as false. A senior IAF spokesperson on Saturday stated that Pakistan’s claim that its hypersonic missiles fired from JF-17 fighter jets destroyed India’s S-400 air defence system in Adampur was false.
The development comes amid heightened tensions along the India-Pakistan border, particularly around Punjab, where Operation Sindoor is currently underway. In related updates, Indian Army officials confirmed that several armed drones originating from Pakistan were shot down over Khasa Cantonment near Amritsar earlier today.
Observers view the coordinated media campaign as part of a broader Sino-Pakistani information warfare effort aimed at undermining India’s defence credibility. Strategic analysts have cautioned against taking such claims at face value, highlighting the growing trend of psychological and narrative-based warfare in the region.
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