Talks are going on between India and Russia to purchase additional consignments of the very powerful S-400 long-range air defense system. Russia’s government agency ‘Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation’ (FSVTS) has confirmed this. This conversation is taking place at a time when Russia is in the final stages of completing the historic $5.4 billion (approximately Rs 45,000 crore) agreement with India in 2018. Under this deal, India was to get a total of 5 S-400 systems, out of which Russia has handed over 3 systems to India by 2023.
Head of Russia’s Defense Agency, Dmitry Shugaev, said that now this delivery is back on schedule. Of the remaining two systems, one will be delivered to India this month and the last system will be delivered to India by November this year. According to FSVTS, India has shown interest in purchasing another batch of these missile systems. Russia is fully ready to supply it and talks are going on between the two countries in this regard.
India’s big defense plan
In March this year, India’s Defense Ministry had approved proposals worth $25 billion (about Rs 2 lakh crore) to buy 5 more S-400 systems, transport aircraft and remotely operated strike aircraft (drones). This step is part of the efforts to modernize the Indian Army and reduce its dependence on outdated Soviet-era weapons.
India’s stance in the arms market
According to the report of Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India is the second largest arms importer in the world. In the last 5 years, India’s share in the top three countries purchasing the most arms from Russia has been almost half. However, India no longer wants to depend on any one country in matters of security.
This is the reason why in recent years India has increased defense deals with countries like France, Israel, America and Germany. Along with this, the government is emphasizing on manufacturing of weapons within the country and joint manufacturing with foreign companies under ‘Make in India’.
Features of S-400
The Indian Air Force has named it ‘Sudarshan Chakra’. Its biggest feature is that it can single-handedly create a ‘no-fly zone’ in the sky for India’s enemies.
400 kilometer range
S-400 can track and destroy enemy fighter jets, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and drones from a distance of 400 kilometers in the air itself. Its missiles are capable of hitting targets at a height of 30 kilometers (about 1,00,000 feet).
Power to fire multiple missiles simultaneously
The most unique thing about this system is that 4 different range missiles can be fired from its same battery:
- Very Long Range: Missile with a range of up to 400 km
- Long Range: Missile with range up to 250 km
- Medium Range: Missile with a range of up to 120 km
- Short Range: Missile with a range of up to 40 km. It creates a security cycle in different layers, from which it becomes impossible for the enemy to escape.
‘Super Eye’ radar: sighted from 600 km away
Its radar is very powerful, which is almost impossible to jam. It can keep an eye on more than 300 targets simultaneously from a distance of 600 kilometers. Along with this, it has the capability to target 36 enemies simultaneously and guide 72 missiles at a time.
action in the blink of an eye
After sensing danger, the response time of S-400 is only 9 to 10 seconds. That means the missile is fired within 10 seconds of seeing the threat on the radar. Its missiles can fly 14 times faster than the speed of sound (Mach 14).
‘Shoot and Scoot’ (Strong Mobility)
The S-400 is a completely mobile system, meaning its radar, command center and missile launcher are deployed on large trucks. It can be deployed anywhere (ready-to-fire) within just 5 minutes and can be removed from there immediately after the attack so that the enemy cannot retaliate on its location.
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