India and Russia have signed a deal for five Russian S-400 Triumf missile shield systems to be delivered to the Indian counterparts in a major deal signed by the leaders on Friday. The deal was signed in the sidelines of the 19th annual India-Russia bilateral summit going on attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The S-400 is one of the world’s most advanced long-range air defense systems and upon approval, the Russian side is expected to deliver the missile shields in the next 24 months. The deal comes as the United States threatens sanctions (under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA)) to any country that makes significant transactions with Iran, North Korea, and Russia.
Russia’s Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are also discussing issues of security challenges in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, the threat of terrorism from Pakistan, and regional and global issues.
India is also planning to acquire four Krivak-class frigates from Russia, two of which will be built in India. Under the $2.5 billion deal, two ships will be built at the Goa shipyard and two others will be acquired from Russia.
