How India’s Air Defence Shield Thwarted Pakistan’s Attack on Golden Temple
India narrowly avoided a national tragedy earlier this month when its air defence systems successfully intercepted a major aerial attack by Pakistan targeting the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The strike, which included drones and long-range missiles, was part of what the Indian Army has described as a "massive air assault" launched in the early hours of May 8.
According to senior military officials, the Golden Temple was one of the primary targets in the assault. Intelligence inputs had warned of possible strikes on religious sites following India’s precision strikes on terror camps inside Pakistan. In response, the Army rapidly deployed advanced air defence systems to protect the shrine and surrounding areas.
*Air Defence in Action: AKASH Missiles and L-70 Guns*
To shield the temple, the Indian Army activated a tight air defence grid using systems like the AKASH surface-to-air missile system and L-70 Air Defence Guns. These systems operated under 24/7 surveillance, tracking and neutralising all incoming threats—including drones, loitering munitions, and missile attacks.
“Our brave and alert air defence gunners were fully prepared. They shot down every drone and missile targeting the Golden Temple, not allowing even a scratch on the holy site,” said Major General Kartik C Seshadri.
The Army later conducted a live demonstration to showcase how these defence systems successfully intercepted and destroyed the Pakistani threats, ensuring the safety of the Golden Temple and other key cities in Punjab.
*Pakistan’s Attack Came After India’s Operation Sindoor*
The failed attack on Indian soil came just days after *Operation Sindoor*, India’s surgical military offensive on nine terrorist camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. That operation was launched in retaliation for the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 civilian lives.
Operation Sindoor targeted high-profile terror hubs, including the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke and Jaish-e-Mohammed in Bahawalpur. The strikes were reported to have killed over 100 terrorists.
Amid the heightened tensions, India’s air defence network proved crucial—not only in protecting religious and civilian sites, but also in asserting the country's technological and strategic superiority. The coordinated defence effort is now being recognized as a global benchmark in countering aerial threats like drones and precision-guided missiles.
India’s response to both the initial terrorist attacks and Pakistan’s failed retaliation highlights its evolving military capabilities and commitment to defending national integrity—especially sacred and symbolic sites like the Golden Temple.
