Russia has submitted its proposal for India’s tender to acquire five additional S-400 Triumf long-range air defence squadrons in a deal estimated to be worth more than Rs 50,000 crore.The proposal has been received by the defence ministry and is currently being processed, defence sources told ANI.India cleared the purchase of five additional S-400 squadrons in March 2026, following Operation Sindoor. The additional systems are expected to strengthen India’s layered air defence network along both the western and eastern fronts.India is also procuring more than 280 missiles for its S-400 systems to bolster its interceptor stockpile and ensure adequate missile availability for existing and additional units.India signed its original contract with Russia in 2018 for five S-400 squadrons. Four have already been delivered, while the fifth and final squadron is expected to arrive by November 2026.Deliveries under the new contract are likely to begin around three years after the agreement is signed. The additional S-400 units are expected to be deployed along the eastern and western fronts, expanding India’s long-range air defence coverage against potential aerial threats.About the S-400 systemThe S-400 Triumf is a Russian long-range surface-to-air missile system designed to detect, track and engage a range of aerial threats, including fighter aircraft, strategic aircraft, cruise missiles and other airborne targets.The system combines surveillance and engagement radars, command-and-control elements, launchers and different types of interceptor missiles. This allows it to engage targets at varying ranges and altitudes rather than relying on a single missile type.One of its key strengths is its long-range engagement capability. Depending on the interceptor missile and target, the S-400 can engage targets at distances of up to around 400 km, while shorter-range missiles provide layered protection closer to defended areas.The system can track multiple targets simultaneously and engage several of them, making it suited to protecting strategic military installations, air bases, command centres and other high-value assets.For India, the S-400 forms the long-range layer of its integrated air defence network, complementing shorter- and medium-range missile systems. Its deployment along the western and northern fronts gives the armed forces the ability to detect and potentially engage hostile aircraft before they reach critical targets.
