Five Weapon Systems That Brought India Victory In Operation Sindoor

The government on Saturday (10 May) announced that Pakistan reached out to India, and a ceasefire was negotiated directly between the two countries.

This development came in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, launched by India on 7 May in retaliation for the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 civilians — most of them tourists — were brutally killed by Pakistan-based terrorists.

Operation Sindoor targeted terrorist infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), using a range of advanced precision-strike systems.

The following are among the key weapons India is believed to have used during the Operation Sindoor.

SCALP

An advanced air-launched cruise missile with stealth capabilities, SCALP is built for precision deep strikes over long distances.

Known as Storm Shadow in the UK, the SCALP-EG (Système de Croisière Autonome à Longue Portée – Emploi Général) is engineered to operate effectively in all weather and during nighttime missions.

Developed by European defence consortium MBDA, the missile boasts a range of 450 km and flies at low altitudes, making it difficult to detect by enemy radar.

Equipped with a sophisticated guidance suite — combining Inertial navigation system (INS), GPS, and terrain-following systems — it is capable of striking fortified targets such as bunkers and ammunition depots with pinpoint accuracy.

Loitering Munitions (Kamikaze Drones)

India employed one-way attack drones, which are designed to loiter over a target area and strike with precision upon identifying a target.

These included the IAI Harop, which developed by Israel Aerospace Industries and is a loitering munition combining UAV and missile capabilities.

It can loiter for up to 9 hours, has a 200 km range, and uses electro-optical sensors to identify and strike high-value targets like air defense systems and radar stations.

India reportedly used Harop drones during Operation Sindoor to target Pakistani air defense systems and radar sites.

Akash Missile

The Akash is an indigenous Indian surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

It has a range of 45–70 km and is designed to neutralize aerial threats like drones, missiles, and aircraft, with a high success rate.

The Akash system was reportedly extensively deployed along India’s western border and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.

It played a critical role in intercepting Pakistani drones and missiles targeting 15 Indian military installations, including bases in Jammu, Srinagar, Pathankot, and Bhuj.

L-70 Anti-Aircraft Gun

Developed originally by Sweden’s Bofors and now manufactured in India under licence, the L-70 40mm gun has been significantly upgraded with radar, electro-optical sensors, and auto-tracking systems.

This gun was reportedly used by India to thwart Pakistani swarm drone attacks on multiple sites.

The gun can fire 240–330 rounds per minute up to 4 km, and is now a front-line defence against radar-dodging drone swarms.

In anti-drone warfare, it saturates the sky with predictive fire, making it highly effective against swarm attacks or drones attempting to evade radar.

The upgraded L/70 incorporates various modern technologies:

• Electrical Servo Drives: Replace hydraulic drives for more precise and efficient control.
• Electro-Optical Fire Control System: Improved target acquisition and tracking capabilities.
• Radar: Integrated radar systems for target detection and tracking, including a new X-band radar for autonomous drone detection.
• Auto-Tracking: Automatic target acquisition and tracking under all weather conditions.
• Video Tracking: Enables visual confirmation of targets for more accurate firing.

ZSU-23-4 Schilka

The Russian-origin Schilka, mounted on a tracked platform with four 23mm guns, uses radar that scans targets up to 20 km. It’s now upgraded with fire-control tech and fuse-based rounds and was used to counter Pakistani drone incursions during Operation Sindoor.

Capable of firing 4,000 rounds per minute, the Schilka now uses proximity-fuse shells and precision tracking, making it a formidable shield against drones, helicopters, and even mobile threats like light armoured vehicles.