India is set to sign deal with Russia that will see Moscow supply India with S-400 air defense systems, a top Kremlin aide said on Tuesday, October 2, ahead of Putin’s two-day trip to India.
According to the source, President Putin will leave for India on October 4 and will oversee the signing of the agreement to deliver S-400 air defense systems valued at more than $5 billion
Open sources reported in January that India was negotiating a deal with Russia for five S-400 systems, valuing the deal then at 39,000 crore rupees (390 billion rupees), which was around $6 billion at the time but is now around $5.3 billion.
The sale has irked the United States, which is not happy with Russia selling its military technology to its defense partners.
According to a senior Pentagon official, U.S. will consider putting sanctions on India of this purchase goes through.
Russia’s S-400 Triumf long- and medium-range air defense missile system can use up to five different missile types to destroy aerial targets including aircraft and cruise and ballistic missiles at a range of 40 to 400 km (25 to 250 miles) at altitudes of up to 30 km.
The deal includes a command post, radar stations, launchers, missiles, power-generating plant and auxiliary equipment, spare parts and accessories.
Qatar and Saudi Arabia are both currently in talks with Russia to buy S-400 defense systems.
