Russia’s supply of S-400 air defence systems to India is now expected to be delayed by three years beyond the original schedule, according to sources cited by The Times of India.
The matter was addressed during talks between Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov and India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday.
An official statement released on Friday confirmed that the two sides discussed not only the pending delivery of the remaining S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile units but also plans to modernise India’s Su-30 fighter jets.
This discussion took place on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting hosted in China.
The revised timeline affects a $5.4 billion deal signed in 2018 under which India was to receive five S-400 regiments from Rosoboronexport, Russia’s state-owned arms supplier, by 2024.
A single S-400 regiment typically includes two batteries and is equipped with 128 missiles designed to engage aerial threats up to 380 kilometres (236 miles) away. The system also features radar units and off-road transport vehicles.
The Times of India reports that the remaining deliveries will now stretch into 2027.
The newspaper said that the fourth regiment will likely arrive next year, with the fifth expected in 2027.
Russia’s air defence, which involves S-400, has come under strain after more than three years of war with Western-backed Ukraine.
India used to be a major customer of Russian defence products, including Su-30 jets, which it started procuring in 1996. But in recent years, New Delhi has shifted its focus to Western and Israeli arms manufacturers.
In early May, India and Pakistan fired missiles at each other, and their jets were involved in a massive dog fight. Pakistan shot down multiple Indian jets, including French-made Rafales.
