India to Purchase More Than 150 S-400 Missiles from Russia

Darwin, 14 February:

India is set to purchase more than 150 long-range S-400 ballistic missiles from Russia. The Russian television channel RT (Russia Today) reported the development, citing the Indian news outlet Hindustan Times.

In a recent statement, India’s Ministry of Defence announced that it has finalized decisions to procure several weapons systems and military aircraft. These include combat missiles, multi-role fighter aircraft, Rafale jets, and an airship-based high-altitude pseudo-satellite system. The initial budget allocated for these military acquisitions is estimated at $3.9 billion.

Although the Ministry of Defence’s statement did not explicitly mention the S-400 missile system, multiple ministry officials told Hindustan Times that the term “combat missiles” refers to the S-400 and Pantsir missile systems.

Officials from the Ministry of Defence also said that the Indian Air Force has requested a total of 288 missiles. These include 120 short-range Pantsir missiles and 168 long-range S-400 missiles.

Notably, Russia’s S-400 is considered one of the most advanced and destructive long-range missile systems in the world. India currently possesses four S-400 systems, with two more expected to be added soon.

Source: RT