Russia will begin supplying India with S-400 surface-to-air missile systems in the fourth quarter of this year, according to Russian news agency Interfax.
Interfax quoted CEO Alexander Mikheev of Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport that deliveries of the S-400 Triumf anti-aircraft missile system to India will begin in October-December of this year.
“Everything is going according to schedule,” Mikheev stated.
Earlier this year, Indian specialists arrived in Russia and began training with the military to work with the S-400.
Threats of Sanctions
In 2018, India signed a $5 billion deal with Russia for the S-400 missile system, triggering warnings of sanctions from the US. Then the country issued an initial payment of $800 million in 2019.
A senior Indian Air Force (IAF) official said that one S-400 system “allows you to cover an entire spectrum of aerial threats” and that the IAF advised the purchase despite the risk of sanctions.
Last year, the US imposed sanctions on Turkey over its 2017 purchase of the S-400 defense system. The US said it will ban all export licenses to the Presidency of Defense Industries and refuse any visa request for agency president, Ismail Demir.
Moscow condemned the move, calling the sanctions “illegitimate” and the “manifestation of an arrogant attitude towards international law.”
S-400 SAM System
The S-400 Triumf is an anti-aircraft missile system designed to neutralize incoming aircraft, and missiles, as well as ground targets.
The system includes the 48N6E3 (48N6E2), 40N6E, and 9M96E2 anti-aircraft guided missiles and a 30K6E control system.
The defense system can destroy targets with a launch range of 3,000 to 3,500 km (1,864 to 2,175 mi.).