Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during his visit to Russia, has urged President Vladimir Putin to expedite the delivery of the remaining two units of the S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems. This request was made during a meeting held on December 10, 2024, as part of Singh’s participation in the 21st session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military Technical Cooperation in Moscow.
Official sources said Singh strongly pitched for expedited delivery of the two remaining units of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems.
Russia has already completed supplies of the first three regiments of the missile systems. There has been a delay in supply of the remaining units in view of the Ukraine conflict.
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Singh also called for carrying out maintenance and related services of the missile systems in India.
Singh emphasized that India’s strategic partnership with Russia is significant and expressed his commitment to enhancing bilateral defence ties. He stated that the friendship between India and Russia is “higher than the highest mountain and deeper than the deepest ocean,” reflecting the deep-rooted ties between the two nations. The S-400 missile systems, which are considered among the most advanced air defence systems globally, are part of a larger deal signed in 2018 worth approximately $5.43 billion for five units.
During his visit, Singh also highlighted opportunities for Russian defence industries to engage in joint production projects in India, reinforcing India’s push towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing. He called for not only the expedited delivery of the S-400 systems but also for improved maintenance and support for other military hardware supplied by Russia.
Agencies
