In May 2022, amidst rising tensions following the Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 civilians, the Indian Air Force (IAF) intercepted a Pakistani ballistic missile potentially aimed at Delhi. The missile was successfully neutralized over Sirsa, Haryana, by a unit operating the Barak-8 surface-to-air missile system. This operation was led by Air Commodore Rohit Kapil, who acted swiftly to track and destroy the incoming threat, believed to be a variant of the Fatah or Shaheen-II missile. For his critical role, he was awarded the Yudh Seva Medal on August 14 by President Droupadi Murmu. The Barak-8 system, developed jointly by Israel Aerospace Industries and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation, boasts an operational range of 70 to 100 km and is designed to counter various aerial threats. The successful interception underscores the effectiveness of India's integrated air defense network, which is being further enhanced under the Sudarshan programme to build a multi-layered defense system. On the anniversary of the Pahalgam attack, the Indian Army reiterated its stance against cross-border terrorism, warning Pakistan of a decisive response.