Operation Sindoor: How India's Abhyas Drone Fooled Pakistan's Air Defences into Exposing HQ-9 Sites

In a daring and technologically brilliant maneuver, the Indian Armed Forces recently executed a covert strategic operation codenamed "Operation Sindoor", which showcased the growing integration of indigenous technology, advanced electronic warfare, and decoy deception tactics. At the heart of this operation was the DRDO-developed Abhyas High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT), used not for training or target simulation—as originally intended—but as a decoy aircraft designed to manipulate and neutralize Pakistan’s air defence infrastructure.

The Setup: Abhyas as a Phantom Fighter

The Abhyas drone, developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is typically used as a reusable aerial target for evaluating weapon systems. However, under Operation Sindoor, it was outfitted with advanced Radar Cross Section (RCS) enhancement modules, thermal signature generators, and active electronic warfare payloads to mimic the radar and IR signature of Indian fighter jets, such as the Su-30MKI or Rafale or Mirage-2000.

Flying at speeds over 0.7 Mach and with an operational range exceeding 300 km, the modified Abhyas drone was launched towards Pakistani airspace from multiple forward bases in Rajasthan and Punjab. Each drone’s mission profile simulated aggressive fighter ingress patterns, including rapid altitude changes, banking turns, and low-level penetration routes. To Pakistani radars, these weren’t drones—they were the first wave of a potential airstrike.

Pakistan's Response: HQ-9s Light Up

The incursion by these 'hostile' blips triggered Pakistan's Integrated Air Defence Network (IADN), prompting them to activate key radar sites and deploy HQ-9 surface-to-air missile systems, which are Chinese-origin long-range SAMs with claimed capabilities comparable to the Russian S-300. The HQ-9 radar units use Type 120 low-frequency acquisition radars paired with HT-233 fire control radars, which began tracking and engaging the targets.

Believing they were under attack by Indian fighter jets, the Pakistani air defence fired multiple interceptors, successfully "shooting down" several of the Abhyas drones. On the ground, celebrations ensued. Reports filtered into the media, claiming that Indian jets had been downed near the border.

But the reality was starkly different.

Indian Surveillance: Detecting the Real Targets

While the Abhyas drones did their job of triggering Pakistan’s response, Indian electronic intelligence (ELINT) aircraft and satellites, including the EMISAT (Electronic Intelligence Satellite) and ground-based systems like Samyukta and Himshakti, were silently listening.

As the HQ-9 systems went live, their unique electromagnetic signatures were triangulated, their radar emissions mapped, and their GPS coordinates locked in. Even the movement of mobile launchers and associated radar trucks were tracked using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) onboard RISAT-2BR1

The data was transmitted in real-time to Indian command and control nodes, who now had pinpoint coordinates of at least three active HQ-9 batteries along the Pakistani side of the border, previously unknown or believed to be inactive.

The Final Strike: BrahMos and Stealth Assets Unleashed

With the location of the HQ-9s confirmed, the second phase of Operation Sindoor commenced. Before the Pakistani systems could redeploy or shut down, precision strikes were executed using BrahMos Block III cruise missiles, launched from mobile road-based platforms and possibly Su-30MKI fighters.

The BrahMos, flying at Mach 2.8 and using terrain-hugging modes to avoid radar detection, struck the HQ-9 radar and launcher clusters with high accuracy. In parallel, unconfirmed reports suggest that Harop Suicide Drone may have been used to further degrade Pakistani air defence sensors.

Explosions were reported near several radar stations in the Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan, but authorities quickly clamped down on media coverage. Within hours, Pakistan's public narrative shifted back to having "successfully defended" their airspace, clinging to the belief that they had shot down Indian fighters.

Strategic Implications: Psychological and Tactical Victory

Operation Sindoor stands as a textbook execution of deception warfare, where electronic, cyber, and psychological operations were blended seamlessly with kinetic force. The use of Abhyas as a decoy showcases a cost-effective method of:

• Probing enemy IADS without risking pilots or actual aircraft

• Mapping enemy radar and SAM locations

• Draining enemy missile inventory by baiting interceptors

• Forcing premature exposure of high-value assets like HQ-9

Moreover, it highlighted the lethality of network-centric warfare. India's ability to integrate satellites, drones, airborne surveillance, and precision strike systems in a time-critical environment underscores a significant leap in C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) capability.

Conclusion: A Red Face for Rawalpindi

Pakistan’s overreaction to a cleverly executed drone deception not only cost them valuable air defence infrastructure but also exposed a serious vulnerability: their inability to distinguish between actual air threats and electronic decoys. The strategic narrative was flipped—what they believed was a defensive victory was in fact a manipulated setup leading to their own loss.

While India has not officially acknowledged Operation Sindoor, the success of such an operation sends a clear message across the border—and beyond. In modern warfare, it’s not just about firepower, but about controlling perception, mastering the electromagnetic spectrum, and staying five moves ahead on the strategic chessboard.