India is in negotiations with Russia to purchase additional batches of S-400 long-range air defence systems, Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSVTS) confirmed on Tuesday.“Russia and India are negotiating the delivery of an additional batch of S-400 Triumf air defence systems, according to Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation. Moscow said the S-400 ‘proved itself’ during Operation Sindoor, with India now expressing interest in expanding its inventory beyond the five regimental sets ordered under the 2018 deal,” Russian state-controlled news network RT India said on X. TOI had earlier reported that India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) had approved plans to purchase five additional regimental systems.The Indo-Russian talks come as Moscow works to wrap up a $5.4 billion (approx Rs 40,000 crore) contract signed in 2018. While Russia successfully delivered the first three S-400 systems by 2023 that India had successfully deployed along the western and northern borders, the remaining two units have faced delays due to Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine. FSVTS chief Dmitry Shugayev said last week that the outstanding deliveries are now back “on schedule”, with the final two units expected to arrive in India any time this month and the last one in Nov.S-400 Triumf, also called ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ in India, served as a critical game-changer during Op Sindoor, successfully neutralising hostile aerial assets and creating a protective umbrella over vital Indian air bases and cities.India has deployed these mobile systems in strategic sectors to create a multi-layered aerial defence shield against threats from Pakistan and China. The defence ministry and DRDO are now working on integrating S-400 units with the indigenous Project Kusha (extended range air defence system or ERADS) through the Indian Air Command and Control System (IACCS) to create a pan-India missile shield. This network-centric framework allows both systems to share data and coordinate “buddy firing” without compromising India’s strategic autonomy.
