India to discuss S-400 procurement and Sukhoi-30 upgrades during defence minister level talks with Russia
New Delhi, December 3. The agenda for the upcoming talks between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart Andrei Belousov on Thursday will include the procurement of the S-400 missile system, the upgrade of Sukhoi-30 fighter jets, and India's interest in purchasing other critical military hardware from Russia. Top military officials have indicated that the overall focus will be on further expanding the already close defence and security ties between the two nations.
The discussions are expected to pay special attention to ensuring the early supply of military equipment from Russia to India. As per agency report, Belousov will be part of the delegation accompanying Russian President Vladimir Putin on his visit to India. This dialogue between Rajnath Singh and Andrei Belousov is scheduled to take place one day prior to the summit meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Putin. During the meeting with Belousov, the Indian side is likely to emphasize the supply of military hardware within stipulated timeframes.
There has been a long-standing grievance from the armed forces that the supply of critical spare parts and equipment from Russia takes a considerable amount of time, which subsequently affects the maintenance of military systems purchased from that country. It is believed that India is considering purchasing additional batches of surface-to-air S-400 missile systems from Russia, as these weapons proved to be extremely effective during Operation Sindoor. An official stated that this issue could be discussed during the defence talks.
In October 2018, India signed a five billion US dollar agreement with Russia to purchase five units of the S-400 air defence missile system, despite warnings from the United States that proceeding with the contract could invite American sanctions under the provisions of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. Three squadrons have already been supplied, and the S-400 systems played a significant role during Operation Sindoor. India may also consider purchasing the S-500 missile system from Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Tuesday that the possibility of supplying Su-57 fighter jets by Russia to India could be discussed. India is currently in the process of procuring a batch of fifth-generation fighter aircraft, with Dassault Aviation's Rafale, Lockheed Martin's F-21, Boeing's F/A-18, and the Eurofighter Typhoon being the main contenders. The Modi-Putin summit is also likely to review the overall defence relations between India and Russia.
An annual summit is held between the Prime Minister of India and the Russian President to review the entire spectrum of relations between the two countries. So far, 22 annual summits have taken place alternately in India and Russia. The Russian President last visited New Delhi in 2021, while Prime Minister Modi visited Moscow for the annual summit in July last year.
