Russia confident about delivering S-400 missile defence system to India on time

Russia's Deputy Ambassador to India, Roman Babushkin, on Friday said that the country will deliver five S-400 air defence systems to India by 2025. 

Defence systems delivery in-line 

Speaking to news agency ANI, he said, "Both sides India and Russia are committed to the timely implementation of our defense deal, so we have our payment issue resolved and the implementation of all the contract is moving as per schedule. We will give five S-400 missile defense system (to India) by 2025. Russia is possessing one of the world's best defense system and it would serve well for Indian security."

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The S-400 is known as Russia's most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system. China was the first foreign buyer to seal a government-to-government deal with Russia in 2014 to procure the lethal missile system.

India and Russia had signed the agreement on October 5, 2018 in a $5.43-billion deal for the purchase of the defence systems during the 19th India-Russia Annual Bilateral Summit in New Delhi.

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During the BRICS Summit last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin had told reporters that the delivery will be on time. "When it comes to S-400 deliveries, everything goes according to plan," he said.

The United States had opposed the purchase and threatened sanctions on any country which purchased the systems from Russia. The US, under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) law, restricts defence purchases from Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

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In a question asked to the MEA regarding the sanctions, MoS V Muraleedharan said, "The US 'Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act' (CAATSA) requires the imposition of certain sanctions on persons/entities that have knowingly engaged in a 'significant transaction' with the defence or intelligence sectors of Russia. The US Department of State will determine whether a transaction is 'significant' for purposes of section 231 of CAATSA on a case-by-case basis. The government keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on India’s security and takes all necessary measures to safeguard it. Our requirement for the S-400 system has been clearly conveyed to the US side."

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