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Indian air defence shield foiled Pakistan's attack on Golden Temple. Here's how
According to the Army, the Golden Temple was one of the primary targets in what officials are calling a "massive air assault" launched by Pakistan.
India’s air defence system recently averted what could have been a national tragedy by successfully thwarting a major aerial attack by Pakistan targeting Amritsar's Golden Temple during the recent escalation between the two neighbouring nations.
Pakistan's failed strike, which included drones and long-range missiles, was intercepted by a tightly coordinated defence shield deployed by the Indian Army before it could touch the Golden Temple, a senior military official said.
According to the Army, the Golden Temple was one of the primary targets in what officials are calling a "massive air assault" launched by Pakistan in the early hours of May 8.
Also Read | How India used unmanned dummy aircraft to fool Pakistan during Operation Sindoor
Intelligence inputs had warned of potential attacks on religious sites, following which the Army mobilised additional modern air defence assets to give a holistic air defence umbrella cover to the Golden Temple, said Major General Seshadri.
India used AKASH, L-70 to save the Golden Temple
The Indian Army's Air defence systems played a critical role in repelling Pakistan's misadventures.
The Army on Monday showcased a demonstration of how Indian Air Defence systems, including AKASH missile system, L-70 Air Defence Guns, saved the Golden Temple in Amritsar and cities of Punjab from Pakistani missile and drone attacks.
What air munitions were used by Pakistan to damage the Golden Temple?
The defence systems, operating with round-the-clock surveillance and rapid response capabilities, detected and neutralised all incoming threats, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), loitering munitions, and missile threats. The Golden Temple was left completely unscathed.
Also Read | Amid rise in border tensions, Golden Temple footfall drops by 70%
"On 8th May early morning, in the hours of darkness, Pakistan carried out a massive air assault with unmanned aerial weapons, primarily drones and long-range missiles. We were fully prepared since we had anticipated this, and our braveheart and alert army air defence gunners thwarted Pakistan Army's nefarious designs and shot down all drones and missiles targeted at the Golden Temple. Thus, not allowing even a scratch to come on our holy Golden Temple," Seshadri said.
Operation Sindoor
The attack by Pakistan on India came in the wake of Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory offensive on nine targeted terror camps deep inside Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed 26 lives.
Also Read | What sets Operation Sindoor apart from past strikes on Pak-backed terrorism? Army veterans answer
Operation Sindoor struck key terrorist hubs like Muridke (Lashkar-e-Taiba HQ) and Bahawalpur (Jaish-e-Mohammed HQ) with surgical precision and killed more than 100 terrorists in the strikes.
During Operation Sindoor, India's Air Defence Systems proved their prowess at the height of the tensions between the two neighbours, intercepting numerous drones, missiles, micro UAVs, and loitering munitions, emerging as a globally actionable defence asset.
(with ANI inputs)
