S-400, Spyder, Akash: India’s air defence systems explained amid soaring tensions with Pakistan

NEW DELHI: Armed forces on Thursday shot down over 50 swarm drones through its air defence system as Pakistan attempted to breach the Line of Control (LoC) and International Borders.Pakistan Armed Forces launched multiple attacks using drones and other munitions along entire Western Border on the intervening night of 08 and 09 May 2025. Pak troops also resorted to numerous cease fire violations (CFVs) along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir," Army said in a post on X."The drone attacks were effectively repulsed and befitting reply was given to the CFVs," it added.Army air defence units deployed advanced weaponry including L-70 guns, Zu-23mm systems, Schilka systems, and specialized counter-UAS equipment across multiple sectors including Udhampur, Samba, Jammu, Akhnoor, Nagrota, and Pathankot.Air Defence Systems are advanced military installations designed to protect against aerial threats such as aircraft, missiles, drones, and helicopters.These systems operate through multiple layers of integrated capabilities that work in unison to detect, track, and neutralise airborne dangers. At the core of modern air defence networks are radar systems, which serve as the primary detection tools, continuously scanning the skies for potential threats.These are supported by early warning systems, which enhance situational awareness by gathering, analyzing, and relaying critical data about incoming targets, allowing for timely and effective defensive action.India's multi-layered air defence system, with a mix of Russian and Israeli surface-to-air missile systems and the indigenous Akash, is considered much better than Pakistan, which largely relies on Chinese systems.Meanwhile, Chinese-supplied HQ-9 air defence missile batteries and radars, which have a range of 120 km in the base variant that extends to 300 km in the latest one, in turn, are the mainstay of Pakistan. It also has the French-origin Spada anti-aircraft system with a 20–25 km range for defence of airbases and other important facilities, among other systems.