SOURCE: AFI
Taking a firm stance against a recent wave of disinformation allegedly promoted by certain sections of the Russian media, which echoed Pakistan-backed narratives suggesting losses of Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets, the Indian defence community has responded with both criticism and a suggestion — urging Russia to consider procuring Indian-made anti-drone systems that have been proven in real combat.
This rebuttal comes in the wake of speculative reports circulated by Russian outlets, amplifying unverified claims of IAF losses during Pakistani drone attacks — a narrative widely believed to be orchestrated and pushed by Islamabad. These reports have drawn criticism for parroting Pakistani propaganda without independent verification or acknowledgment of Indian countermeasures.
Defence analysts in India pointed out the irony of Russian media echoing Pakistani disinformation while Russia itself continues to suffer significant losses due to low-cost Ukrainian drone raids. In a recent episode, nearly 40 Tu-95 Bear strategic bombers, cornerstones of Russia’s long-range airpower, were reportedly damaged or destroyed by Ukrainian drones costing as little as $400 each. These drones not only penetrated Russian air defences with ease but reached high-value targets deep inside Russian airspace — a glaring failure of Moscow’s current counter-drone infrastructure.
In stark contrast, India’s indigenously developed anti-drone systems, such as those fielded by Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and DRDO, have demonstrated reliable interception and neutralization of swarm drone threats launched from across the border by Pakistan. According to defence officials, these systems played a pivotal role in thwarting coordinated Pakistani drone strikes on IAF airbases in Punjab and Jammu regions, with zero successful penetrations or damage to critical infrastructure.
“Before questioning the efficacy of Indian air defences, perhaps Russian commentators should ask why their own systems failed to stop hundreds of DIY drones from disabling their strategic bombers,” said an Indian defence analyst, adding that “the Indian systems aren’t just theoretical—they’re battle-proven.”
India’s anti-drone arsenal includes both hard-kill and soft-kill systems, combining jamming, spoofing, directed energy weapons, and kinetic interceptors. These systems are designed to work in complex, GPS-denied environments, reflecting battlefield conditions similar to those in Eastern Europe and South Asia.
In light of the recent Russian setbacks, some Indian analysts have gone a step further — suggesting that Moscow seriously consider importing or co-developing Indian anti-drone systems, which have demonstrated superior performance at a fraction of the cost of existing global systems.
“India doesn’t just build these systems — we use them effectively. If Russia wants to protect its strategic bombers from $400 drones, we’d be happy to help,” said another retired Indian Air Force officer.
While Russia continues to refine its air defences amidst evolving threats from unmanned systems, the episode serves as a reminder that disinformation campaigns rarely stand the test of combat reality. The Indian defence establishment’s call for facts over fiction underscores New Delhi’s growing confidence in its indigenous military technologies — and a subtle reminder to its partners to look at performance, not propaganda.
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