Russia has started deliveries of S-400 air defense systems to India: Shugaev

Delivery of the S-400 system to India is going according to plan, Shugaev told the state news service Sputnik. “The supply of S-400 air defense systems to India has started and is progressing on time,” Shugaev said.

There was no official word from the Indian side on the development.

Hindustan Times It was reported last week that deliveries of the first batch of S-400 systems are expected to coincide with Putin’s visit to New Delhi in December, setting the stage for the two countries to renew their military-technical cooperation. next decade.

The two countries signed a $5.4 billion contract for five S-400 systems during Putin’s last visit to India for the annual summit in October 2018. India has signaled its intention to go ahead with the deal despite warnings from the US in recent months. Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) may attract secondary sanctions.

Several teams of Indian Air Force personnel have been trained in Russia to operate air defense systems that will be used to protect major cities, strategic installations and sensitive parts of the country’s borders. Russian officials have said that delivery of the system is expected to be completed within five years of the signing of the contract.

The IAF is expected to induct the first unit of the S-400 system at a time when India is locked in a border standoff with China, which has deployed two S-400 squadrons at Hotan Airbase in Xinjiang and Ningchi Airbase in Tibet, Ladakh and Arunachal . region respectively.

The S-400 is in service with the armies of China and Turkey.

In August, Alexander Mikheev, the head of Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, said that talks were underway with seven countries in the Middle East, the Asia-Pacific region and Africa on the supply of the S-400.

Putin is expected to be in New Delhi in the second week of December for the annual summit, with the most likely date for meetings with the two countries being 6 December (please specify).

The first 2+2 talks between the Defense and Foreign Ministers of India and Russia will be held in Moscow before his visit.

At the summit, the two sides called on both sides to renew their military-technical cooperation arrangements for 2021-31 and to allow access to logistics and support facilities at each other’s military bases, including the Logistics Agreement of Reciprocal Exchange (RELOS). Several agreements are expected to be signed. Port