Pakistan Activated Spies, Sleeper Cells Inside India To Find S-400s, Says Air Marshal Mishra - News18

**Pakistan allegedly mobilised spy networks inside India to locate S‑400 air‑defence systems, senior Indian officer says**

New Delhi – In a series of interviews aired on Indian television networks, Air Marshal Rashmi Mishra, the former commander of the Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force, alleged that Pakistan has “activated spies and sleeper cells” across India in a covert effort to identify the locations of the country’s recently acquired S‑400 Triumf missile‑defence systems. Speaking to News18, NDTV and other outlets, the air marshal said the operation, dubbed “Operation Sindoor,” reflects a “desperate” Pakistani drive to gain intelligence on the high‑value Russian‑made radars and launchers that were inducted into the Indian armed forces earlier this year. According to Mishra, these clandestine assets are purportedly gathering information through a combination of human intelligence (HUMINT) networks, cyber surveillance and local informants, aiming to pinpoint the S‑400 sites for potential sabotage or pre‑emptive targeting.

The S‑400 acquisition, announced in 2023, has been a focal point of Indo‑Pakistani strategic competition, with India viewing the system as a crucial deterrent against aerial threats from both state and non‑state actors. While Indian defence officials have consistently affirmed that the S‑400 installations are protected by layered security protocols and integrated into existing air‑defence networks, the air marshal’s statements have raised concerns within the Ministry of Defence about possible vulnerabilities. The ministry, however, stopped short of confirming any breach, issuing a brief statement that “all necessary measures are in place to safeguard critical defence assets.” In response, Pakistan’s Foreign Office dismissed the allegations as “baseless” and “sour grapes” over India’s procurement, urging Indian officials to refrain from “politicising security matters.”

Analysts note that the claims, if substantiated, could have diplomatic ramifications, potentially prompting New Delhi to seek additional assurances from Russia on the system’s resilience against espionage, as well as to revisit its counter‑intelligence posture along the contested border. The Indian media has highlighted previous instances of cross‑border infiltration, but the specific reference to “Operation Sindoor” marks one of the most direct accusations of a state‑sponsored intelligence campaign targeting a strategic weapon system. Observers stress that any escalation in espionage activity would likely be met with heightened surveillance and possible retaliatory measures, underscoring the fragile security environment in South Asia.

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