India going ahead with induction plan for Russia S-400 systems despite US warning

New Delhi, Jan 11: India is going ahead with the induction plan for the advanced S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missiles from Russia.

India''s multi-billion dollar deal to purchase the Russian-made S-400 air defence system may trigger US sanctions on New Delhi, a US Congressional report has warned earlier this month.

A team of the Indian Air Force would be leaving for Russia later this month ahead of the deliveries that would begin in September-October.

All the five mobile squadrons of the S-400 air defence systems would be delivered progressively by April 2023.

In October 2018, India had signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, despite a warning from the Trump administration that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions.

In 2019, India made the first tranche of payment of around USD 800 million to Russia for the missile systems.

The S-400 is known as Russia''s most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system.

Last month, Russia had said that implementation of its ongoing defence deals with India including the supply of a batch of S-400 missile systems is advancing well notwithstanding the threat of US sanctions.

At a press conference in New Delhi last month, Russian ambassador to India Nikolay Kudashev appeared to criticise the US sanctions on Turkey for procuring the S-400 missile systems under a USD 2.5 billion deal, saying Moscow does not recognise such unilateral actions.

"We do not recognise or welcome unilateral sanctions as a language or tool or instrument of interstate or international relations, other than those applied by the UN Security Council, this is also the case of Turkey," he said.

"As far as India is concerned, we share the same platform. India''s position is also crystal clear. No sanctions are acknowledged other than those imposed by the UN Security Council. Whatever the future is, we believe that our ties could withstand the coming challenges," he said.

Kudashev was asked to comment on the US sanctions on Turkey under the provisions of the Countering America''s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).