India defied US to get Sudarshan Chakra that beat Pakistan assault

The debut of the Sudarshan S-400 air defence missile system of the Indian Air Force has created a lot of ripples by neutralising a drone attack by Pakistan. Pakistan launched a wave of drone and missile attacks on the night of May 7–8, attempting to strike Indian military installations in 15 cities in Northern and Western India but managed to foiled Pakistan’s attacks with the help of its Sudarshan air defence system which has now proved its mettle in war.

India has bought the S-400 Triumf, a mobile surface-to-air missile system, from Russia and named it Sudarshan after the Sudarshan Chakra of Lord Krishna. Last year in July, during an exercise, Sudarshan had 'shot down' 80 per cent of the 'enemy' fighter aircraft package while forcing others to retreat, aborting their missions. The exercise was conducted by the Indian Air Force to showcase full integration of the air defence missile system into the force.

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India and Russia had signed an over Rs 35,000 crore deal for five squadrons of S-400, named Sudarshan by India. The Indian Air Force considers Sudarshan a game changer, especially against Pakistan. Yesterday night, Sudharshan made a splendid show of its prowess. The first squadron of Sudarshan was deployed in Punjab in 2021 in a manner in which it can look after the Pakistan border as well as other parts in the northern and western sectors. Amid delays due to the Russia-Ukraine, Russia will supply the remaining two of the five squadrons by August 2026.

Why Sudarshan S-400 is a game changer

Sudarshan S-400 air defence system can engage up to 36 targets at a time and simultaneously launch 72 missiles. It is equipped with four different missiles which can engage enemy aircraft, ballistic missiles, and AWACS planes at 400 km, 250 km, the medium-range 120 km and the short-range 40 km.

Sudarshan comprises a combat control post, a three-coordinate jam-resistant phased array radar to detect aerial targets, six-eight air defence missile complexes (with up to 12 transporter-launchers, and also a multi-functional four-coordinate illumination and detection radar), a technical support system, a missile transporting vehicles and a training simulator, experts said. The system can also additionally include an all-altitude radar (detector) and movable towers for an antenna post, they said. The target detection range of this system is up to 600 kilometres and its tactical ballistic missile destruction range varies from five kilometres to 60 kilometres.

The Sudarshan missiles can fly at supersonic and hypersonic speeds to intercept all kinds of targets at various ranges. Russian experts have claimed it can even “radar lock and shoot down” stealth fifth-generation fighters like the American F-35 jets.

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How India defied the US to buy Sudarshan S-400 from Russia

During the heightened geopolitical tensions caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, India faced considerable diplomatic pressure from the United States to abandon its multibillion-dollar purchase of Sudrashan Chakra. Despite warnings from Washington and potential sanctions under U.S. law, New Delhi stood firm, citing sovereign interests and regional security imperatives.

The U.S. government's efforts to discourage the deal were primarily driven by the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which penalizes significant defense transactions with countries like Russia. High-ranking U.S. officials, including then Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, visited India and privately conveyed their unease, urging reconsideration of the acquisition. The primary argument was that such a move could trigger mandatory sanctions and complicate defense interoperability between U.S. and Indian forces. Additionally, several members of the U.S. Congress, especially from Senate foreign relations committees, publicly voiced concerns. They warned that moving forward with the Russian system might undermine deepening U.S.-India defense ties and potentially harm India's access to American military technology.

India countered these arguments by emphasizing its long-standing defense relationship with Russia and the critical role the S-400 plays in its air defense network. Indian officials consistently stressed that national security imperatives, not foreign political calculations, drive their defense procurements. India’s then-defense leadership made it clear that external laws, such as CAATSA, did not override India's sovereign right to safeguard its territory. From India's perspective, the S-400 fills a vital capability gap against potential threats from both neighboring adversaries China and Pakistan. The multi-layered defense system offers a technological edge that, in India's view, is unmatched in terms of both performance and cost-effectiveness.

Rather than adopting a confrontational approach, India relied on strategic diplomacy to manage the fallout. New Delhi communicated to Washington that it valued its growing defense partnership with the U.S., particularly in areas like maritime cooperation and the Indo-Pacific strategy. However, it also made it clear that its defense purchases would remain diversified to maintain independence.

India highlighted its evolving defense ties with the U.S. through joint exercises, co-development projects, and large-scale procurements of American platforms like the P-8I surveillance aircraft and Apache helicopters—suggesting that the S-400 deal should not be seen as undermining broader strategic alignment.

Under CAATSA, the U.S. President has the authority to grant a waiver if it is deemed necessary for national security. This provision gave both sides room to maneuver diplomatically. While India received the first deliveries of the S-400 system starting in late 2021, the Biden administration opted for caution, withholding sanctions while continuing dialogue.

To date, the U.S. has not imposed penalties on India, which many observers attribute to India’s pivotal role in the Indo-Pacific strategy and the Quad alliance, as well as shared concerns about China's regional assertiveness. India’s decision to continue with the S-400 acquisition in the face of American pressure illustrates its adherence to an independent foreign policy and defense doctrine. While the U.S. attempted to use both legislative tools and diplomatic channels to halt the deal, India maintained that its strategic needs and regional threats necessitated such a purchase. This episode reflects a broader reality: India seeks to balance its partnerships without being drawn into exclusive security alignments.

(With inputs from TOI)