In the wake of Operation Sindoor, Pakistan has been projecting a narrative of wins against India, with new reports adding that Islamabad hit the Adampur air base in Punjab and damaged a Sukhoi-30 MKI parked there. Top Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) imagery analyst Damien Symon has debunked the claim of Pakistan hitting Indian airbases.

Top Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) imagery analyst Damien Symon has debunked the claim, pointing out that Pakistan used a pre-conflict photograph to push its narrative.

Symon posted the image used by Pakistan to claim a hit on Adampur air base in a post on the social media platform X. The image used to support the claim purportedly shows a jet near what Pakistan claims to be a burn mark. But according to Symon, it was taken in March of this year, much before India’s Operation Sindoor.

“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,” the post read.

Pakistan's similar claim about destroying the S-400 at the Bhuj air base

Pakistan not only falsely claimed to hit the Adampur air base, but it also made a similar claim for the Bhuj air base in Gujarat. There, Islamabad claims to have destroyed an S-400 radar.

Damien Symon debunked that claim, too, pointing out that what Islamabad claims to be marks of destruction are actually likely to be just oil stains in the air base’s service yard. This image also predates Operation Sindoor and the India-Pakistan conflict.

“An image is being circulated now as a Pakistan destroyed S-400 radar in India, a review however indicates it's likely just oil stains at Bhuj military base's vehicle service yard, also the image predates the recent Indo-Pak conflict as it was taken in February 2025,” Symon’s post read.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure at nine locations in PoK and Pakistan’s Punjab province. The operation was in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, in Jammu and Kashmir's resort town.

The operation prompted a confrontation with Pakistan for the next four days, with India hitting multiple military targets while defending its own. The conflict subsided after a ceasefire understanding was reached between the neighbours on May 10.

Source: Hindustan Times.