Russia Begins Serial Production Of S-400 Missiles For India

Russia has started the production of S-400 missile defence systems for India and the delivery of the much-anticipated missiles systems is expected to be completed by 2025. This was confirmed by CEO of Rostec Sergei Chemezov told Dubai Airshow 2019.

“The advance payment has been made. I don’t want to specify an exact figure, but there is an advance payment. We have launched production and the work is underway, and everything will be implemented as scheduled. The contract will be fulfilled by 2025,” Chemezov said.

“When it comes to S-400 deliveries, everything goes according to plan,” President Putin had stated on the sidelines of the recently concluded BRICS Summit. “Indian colleague (PM Narendra Modi) did not ask to speed up anything, as everything goes well,” Putin was quoted as saying.

The US has severely opposed the S-400 deal with Russia with the Trump administration threatening to force sanctions on the states that are acquiring weapons and military hardware from Russia.

Senior US officials have cautioned India that the S-400 deal could attract sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) law that restrains defence purchases from Russia, Iran and North Korea.

India acquiring the S-400 missile defence system from Russia is a “problem” for the US, Admiral Philip Davidson, who is Commander of Indo-Pacific Command, said in July. However, India has told the US that it does not intend to give up the deal for the purchase of Russian-made S-400 air defence missile systems.

The S-400 is the most advanced long-range air defence missile system that went into service in Russia in 2007. It is designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, including medium-range missiles, and can also be used against ground installations. The S-400 can engage targets at a distance of 400 km and at an altitude of up to 30 km.

 eurasiantimes