India targets Russia deal for 5 more S-400 systems

Top defence ministry officials will meet their Russian counterparts this week to consider either joint manufacture or outright purchase of five more S-400 air defence systems from Moscow with an objective of enhancing India's long range defensive capabilities.

- Shishir Gupta

The deal is expected to be given a green signal before Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in India on December 5 for the annual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

While two of the five S-400 systems, part of the October 5, 2018, $5.43 billion deal, will be delivered by 2026-end, India and Russia are talking about the purchase of another five systems to protect any attack across the country's 7000-km-plus coastline and to plug the air defence gap in the northern command area.