India May Procure More S-400 Air Defence Units from Russia After Operation Sindoor

India could acquire additional batches of the Russian-made S-400 missile defence system during Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to New Delhi in December, according to sources cited by PTI. The potential procurement follows the S-400's reported effectiveness during Operation Sindoor and is expected to feature in discussions between New Delhi and Moscow.

In addition to the S-400, India may also explore upgrading to and purchasing the newer S-500 missile defence system, the report noted.

India's initial S-400 deal with Russia was signed in 2018, valued at $5 billion for five units of the air defence system. So far, three of the five squadrons have been delivered.

During its first term, the Donald Trump administration had warned India that moving forward with the contract could trigger US sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Despite the warning, the deal was completed.

When asked about acquiring additional units of the missile defence system at a press conference on Friday, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF), did not provide a direct answer. He said, "Obviously, that has done good. So, there's a requirement to have more such (systems); there is no limit to numbers that you can buy. Again, I'm keeping quiet on what the plan (is) whether we want to buy more, how much etc."

The IAF chief added that a final decision would be made considering India's own ongoing development of indigenous air defence systems. "It has proved to be a good weapon system. We have our own system also being developed. So we will take a call on that," he said.