India, Russia going ahead with supply of S-400 missiles system
The S-400 is the most advanced long-range air defense missile system, designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, including medium-range missiles, as well as ground installations.
Photo: File
By IAR Desk
India and Russia are going ahead with the purchase of the S-400 surface-to-air Triumf missile systems.
Addressing the media in Brasilia, after the conclusion of the 11th BRICS summit, President Vladimir Putin told reporters that supply of the missiles system to India was on track and as per schedule.
India announced its decision to acquire S-400 ‘Triumf’ surface-to-air missile systems in 2015. The contract worth USD 5.43 billion was signed during the visit of President Putin to India last year.
“When it comes to S-400 deliveries, everything goes according to plan,” President Putin told reporters on Thursday during a press conference after the conclusino of the 11th BRICS summit in Brasilia.
Russia’s TASS agency quoted Putin as saying “Indian colleague (Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi) did not ask to to speed up anything, as everything goes well.”
Prime Minister Modi and President Putin held a bilateral meeting on the margins of the BRICS Summit on Wednesday, November, 13 and they reviewed the progress made in the bilateral ties and discussed ways to further bolster the special strategic partnership.
India and Russia had made progress in imports of oil and natural gas from Russia to India, and during the meeting Mr. Putin reiterated his invitation to Indian investments in the Arctic region. Bilateral trade between two countries had also picked up with USD 25 billion trade target for 2025 already being achieved. During the meeting both sides had decided to have the 1st Bileral Regional Forum at the level of Russian Provinces and Indian States held next year.
Defence and infrastructure were also discussed during the meeting; the speed of the Nagpur-Secunderabad sector railway line, which Russia is engaged in, is expected to be raised. Civil nuclear energy cooperatino in third countries, like in Bangladesh, were also discussed.
The Russian president also reiterated his invitation to Modi to visit Moscow to participate in the Victory Day celebrations next year, which Modi has ‘gladly accepted’.
The US has opposed the S-400 deal with Russia with the Trump administration threatening to impose sanctions on the states that are acquiring weapons and military hardware from Russia.
US officials have cautioned India that the S-400 deal could attract sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) law that restricts defence purchases from Russia, Iran and North Korea.
It has threatened Turkey, a NATO member with sanctions over its purchase of the S-400 missiles defence system from Russia.
In June, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told his American counterpart Mike Pompeo in New Delhi that India will go by its national interest while dealing with other countries.
The S-400 is the most advanced long-range air defense missile system, designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, including medium-range missiles, as well as ground installations.
The S-400 can engage targets at a distance of 400 km and at an altitude of up to 30 km.
