SOURCE: AFI
Amid renewed tensions and reports of recent aerial engagements between India and Pakistan, prominent Pakistani defence analysts have made a revealing admission: Pakistan lacks the capability to intercept India’s air-to-surface missiles, particularly the air-launched variant of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.
Speaking on Pakistani news platforms, defence experts Ikramullah Bhatti and Adil Sultan acknowledged that there is currently no effective air defence system in Pakistan that can stop a missile like the BrahMos-A, which was reportedly used by the Indian Air Force (IAF) during recent strikes on Pakistani airbases.
According to Indian media, the IAF deployed BrahMos-A (Air-Launched) cruise missiles, launched from Su-30MKI fighter aircraft, to target strategic assets of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), including PAF bases such as Jacobabad and Murid. The missile, with its supersonic speed (Mach 2.8+), pinpoint accuracy, and range exceeding 400 kilometers, provides India with a potent standoff strike capability.
Its deployment allows Indian fighters to hit high-value targets without entering hostile airspace, drastically reducing exposure to enemy air defence systems.
During televised discussions, Ikramullah Bhatti admitted, “There is no system in Pakistan today that can intercept a BrahMos-A missile once launched. Its speed, trajectory, and low-altitude profile make it nearly impossible to counter with current systems.”
Adil Sultan, a former Pakistani Air Force Air Commodore and defence analyst, echoed the sentiment, stating, “The challenge is not just for Pakistan—India too lacks a credible shield against this kind of missile threat. Once such a missile is airborne, the response window is extremely limited.”
This public admission highlights the growing importance of long-range precision weapons in South Asia’s military calculus and the vulnerability of strategic assets in the absence of modern, layered air defence systems.
The recent use of BrahMos-A by India reflects a doctrinal shift toward standoff precision warfare, reducing the need for deep airspace penetration and enhancing the survivability of strike aircraft.
With Pakistan unable to effectively counter such attacks, critical infrastructure including airbases, command centers, and radar stations remain at risk, prompting concerns about strategic imbalance and escalatory dynamics in future conflicts.
Moreover, experts note that while Pakistan does field systems like the LY-80 (HQ-16) surface-to-air missile, these are not optimized to counter high-speed, low-flying cruise missiles like BrahMos-A, especially in a surprise or saturation attack scenario.
The exposure of these vulnerabilities comes as a wake-up call for both countries. For Pakistan, the lack of an effective air defence shield against standoff weapons underscores the need for investment in early warning systems, long-range radar, and high-performance interceptors.
On the Indian side, although BrahMos-A provides a tactical advantage, experts warn that India must also prepare for the day when Pakistan might acquire similar capabilities—whether indigenously or via foreign partners.