New Delhi: The S-400 air defence system performed well in the military conflict last month, and helped India intercept most of Pakistan’s drones and missiles launched in retaliation to Operation Sindoor.
India had signed a $5.43 billion contract with Russia in 2018 to acquire five regiments of the strategic air defence missile system.
Three regiments, received between December 2021 and October 2023, were deployed along the country’s western and northern fronts, bordering Pakistan and China, respectively.
As for the remaining two regiments of S-400, India should be receiving those by 2026, according to Russian deputy ambassador to New Delhi Roman Babushkin.
“We heard that the S-400 performed very efficiently during the situation between India and Pakistan,” Babushkin told PTI.
“As far as my knowledge goes, the contract for the remaining S-400 units will be according to schedule. We are open for a promotion of this partnership for the discussion of the expansion of dialogue on air defence system… I think it will be done in 2025, 2026,” he said.
With drones playing a defining part in modern warfare, the importance of bolstering air defence systems is growing.
Acknowledging India and Russia’s long history of collaboration, Babushkin said, “according to what we are experiencing, the situation in Europe, here, this is one of the promising topics of our partnership in defence preparation in general.”
Importance of ‘Sudarshan Chakra’
The S-400, rechristened as ‘Sudarshan Chakra’, can detect and destroy hostile strategic bombers, jets, spy planes, missiles and drones at a range of 380 kilometres.
“The S-400 Missile is a potent system in terms of its operational capability to provide a continuous and effective air defence system to a very large area. With the induction of this system, air defence capability of the nation will be significantly enhanced,” the Ministry of Defence had said in a statement in 2021.
Capable of engaging multiple targets simultaneously — including aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, at varying ranges and altitudes – the S-400 consists of three main components: missile launchers, a powerful radar, and a command centre.
As per a report in The New Indian Express, the acquisition of the entire S-400 fleet was to be completed by 2023. However, the delivery schedule got delayed due to the Russia-Ukraine war, which affected supply chains and production.
