Islamabad, May 11, 2025: A prominent European defense analysis outlet, Bulgarian Military Review, has identified the destruction of India’s Russian-built S-400 air defense system as the most consequential development of the recent Pakistan-India conflict.
In its latest report, the site details that a Pakistani air strike targeting the S-400 system at Adampur Air Base—located approximately 100 kilometers from the Pakistan border—marked a critical turning point in the hostilities. The base is a strategic Indian Air Force installation that houses a fleet of Sukhoi fighter jets.
The analysis emphasized that the neutralization of the sophisticated air defense platform dealt a significant blow to India’s aerial defense capabilities. It also noted that Pakistan’s employment of hypersonic missile technology—potentially launched from JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft—represented a major advancement in Islamabad’s offensive strike capabilities.
Bulgarian Military Review further speculated that Pakistan may have developed an indigenous version of Chinese-origin hypersonic weapons. The loss of the S-400 system, the analysis warned, could have lasting implications for India’s future defense strategy and regional deterrence posture.
The report also framed the strike as a symbolic demonstration of Pakistan’s ability to penetrate deep into Indian airspace, highlighting vulnerabilities in the S-400 system when subjected to saturation strikes, particularly targeting radar and command components.
This assessment comes as international analysts continue to evaluate the broader consequences of the brief but intense military escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors. The destruction of the S-400 is widely seen as both a tactical victory for Pakistan and a strategic setback for India’s air defense doctrine.