NEW DELHI: India has received the fourth squadron of the S-400 surface-to-air missile defence system from Russia, strengthening its air defence capability.
Sources said the system arrived in the country a few days ago by sea and will be deployed at a key operational location by the Indian Air Force.
The fifth squadron is expected to be delivered in the coming months. India had signed a $5 billion agreement with Russia in October 2018 for procurement of five S-400 units, of which three had already been delivered. The remaining deliveries were delayed due to the Russia-Ukraine war.
The system was used during Operation Sindoor, where it is stated to have achieved long-range interception capability and impacted Pakistan Air Force operations.
Following its performance, the Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh, cleared a proposal in March to procure five additional S-400 squadrons.
Officials said recent tensions in West Asia have reinforced the importance of air defence systems in modern warfare.
The S-400, an advanced version of the S-300 system, can detect targets up to 600 km and deploy different missiles with ranges of 400 km, 250 km, 120 km and 40 km. Russia has trained Indian personnel to operate the system.
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