S-400 Triumf – Why is India acquiring this air defence missile system from Russia

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin will sign a multi-billion dollar deal for S-400 'Triumf' long-range air defence missile systems on Saturday.

The two leaders will ink the deal after their talks in Goa ahead of the summit of the BRICS.

The S-400 is a new generation anti-aircraft system, which can be equipped with very long-range missiles (up to 400km), long-range (250km) and medium-range (120km).

The S-400 Triumf is capable of countering all air attack weapons, including tactical and strategic aircraft, ballistic missiles and hypersonic targets such as the US F-35 fighter jet.

India is interested in getting five systems of the most modern air defence system, capable of firing three types of missiles, creating a layered defence, and simultaneously engaging 36 targets.

The S-400 can engage up to 36 targets simultaneously with as many as 72 missiles at altitudes of five meters to 30 km.

The S-400, an upgraded version of the S-300, had previously only been available to the Russian defence forces.

It is manufactured by Almaz-Antey and has been in service in Russia since 2007.

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If India signs the deal, it would be the second customer of the prized missile system after China which had struck a USD 3 billion contract last year.

Besides grabbing the S-400 defence deal, Russia also plans to sign an agreement on building Project 11356 frigates for the Indian Navy and setting up a Russian- Indian joint venture to produce Kamov Ka-226T helicopters.