In the latest blow to Pakistan’s ongoing disinformation campaign, a leading geo-intelligence expert has debunked claims that Pakistan damaged India’s Adampur air base during last month’s four-day military conflict, part of the escalation following the Pahalgam terror attack.
According to Damien Symon, a respected geo-intelligence analyst, satellite images confirm that no damage was inflicted on the Adampur air base, located in Punjab. Symon’s analysis came after multiple Pakistani media outlets claimed that Pakistani missiles struck the base, allegedly damaging a Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter jet and destroying an S-400 air defence system.
Satellite Imagery Exposes Pakistan’s Claims
Damien Symon shared a high-resolution satellite image from March 2025, two months before the conflict, showing a MiG-29 undergoing routine maintenance near the base’s engine test pad. The dark soot seen in the image was misrepresented by Pakistani sources as battle damage.
“This is routine activity at engine test locations. The patch of dark soot has existed long before the recent conflict,” Symon explained.
New report alleges a direct hit at India’s Adampur Air Base by Pakistan damaged a Su-30, however a review reveals this image taken in March 2025, pre-conflict actually shows a MiG-29 undergoing maintenance, the dark soot near the engine test pad is routine, not battle damage pic.twitter.com/GOC1NVRX9I
— Damien Symon (@detresfa_) June 8, 2025
Earlier, Pakistan’s military claimed a China-made JF-17 fighter jet launched missiles that successfully hit India’s Russian-made S-400 system—a key defence asset dubbed the “Sudarshan Chakra” for its ability to intercept drones and missiles.
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However, this claim, too, collapsed when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Adampur air base on May 13, just three days after the conflict ended. Images from his visit showed the S-400 system intact, with MiG-29 jets visible in the backdrop, clearly proving that no such destruction occurred.
PM Modi’s Visit Undermines Propaganda
PM Modi’s public appearance at the air base, located just 100 km from the Indo-Pak border, was widely seen as a strategic signal. During his address to IAF personnel, he asserted that India had merely paused its military offensive, not ended it, indicating readiness for further escalation if provoked.
Earlier, Pakistan released doctored satellite images pointing at a patch of dirt on the base’s grounds, labeling it “S-400 damaged!!!” However, no craters, debris, or signs of an explosion were visible in the image, raising widespread skepticism. Social media users and defence watchers were quick to call out the visual manipulation and false narrative.
Adampur’s Strategic Importance
The Adampur air base holds enormous strategic value in India’s defence architecture. It is the second-largest air base of the Indian Air Force and played a key role in the 1965 war with Pakistan. Despite being a primary target during that war, it remained unbreached, establishing its reputation for resilience.
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Originally home to aircraft like the Su-7 and MiG-21, Adampur now houses premier squadrons including the Su-30 MKIs and MiG-29s. In 2022, it became the first air base to host the S-400 air defence system, significantly enhancing India’s aerial shield in the northern region.
The base’s proximity to the borders of Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and Rajasthan, combined with advanced surveillance and radar systems, makes it a critical asset for India’s northern air defences.
Operation Sindoor: The Trigger
The military exchange followed Operation Sindoor, a robust Indian response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives. While India has maintained a low public profile on the details of its retaliation, the fallout has been marked by aggressive Pakistani propaganda—largely discredited by independent analysis.
With strategic facilities like Adampur still operational and undamaged, and key assets like the S-400 air defence system intact, Pakistan’s attempts to save face through misinformation appear to have backfired once again.
