Pakistan’s claim of hitting India’s Adampur Airbase falls apart under satellite scrutiny

New Delhi: Pakistan has once again come under international scrutiny after its recent claims of striking India’s Adampur airbase during last month’s four-day military standoff were debunked by geo-intelligence sources. Damien Symon, a leading open-source intelligence analyst, countered Pakistan’s assertions with satellite imagery. “The image allegedly proving damage at Adampur actually dates back to March 2025 and shows a MiG-29 undergoing scheduled maintenance. The dark soot patterns are consistent with routine engine tests,” Symon said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Pakistani media reports had claimed that a Sukhoi Su-30 MKI aircraft was damaged and India’s S-400 air defence system—nicknamed “Sudarshan Chakra”—was taken out by a JF-17 fighter jet strike. These reports quickly drew attention but failed to provide convincing visual or technical evidence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Adampur airbase on May 13, just days after the conflict, further undermined the Pakistani narrative. During his visit, Modi was photographed with IAF personnel in front of a MiG-29 and the very S-400 unit Pakistan claimed to have destroyed. “Pakistan circulated a grainy image, pointing to what it called a destroyed S-400,” Symon added. “But the satellite view showed no structural damage, no impact craters, no debris—nothing that would suggest a strike.” The Adampur airbase, located around 100 km from the India-Pakistan border, has long been considered a linchpin in India’s northern air defences. It played a crucial role in the 1965 India-Pakistan war and currently houses key Indian Air Force squadrons including MiG-29s and Su-30 MKIs.

Disinformation from Islamabad has increased following Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory air strikes after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26. Analysts have observed a surge in false narratives attempting to project military success amid domestic pressure in Pakistan. A defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “These fabricated claims are part of an ongoing pattern. But facts and verifiable evidence always tell the real story.” With high-resolution satellite tools and open-source intelligence becoming more accessible, Pakistan’s credibility on such military claims continues to face major challenges.