Russia is set to meet its commitment to deliver S-400 anti-aircraft systems to India within the established timeframe, a senior Russian defence export official said on Monday (14).
Being the largest arms importer globally, India relies predominantly on Russian technology for traditional weaponry. However, authorities in New Delhi have expressed apprehensions regarding the potential impact of Russia's conflict in Ukraine on the scheduled supply of weapons and equipment.
"The production of S-400 Triumf anti-aircraft missile systems is being carried out according to schedule," Interfax quoted Dmitry Shugaev, head of Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, as saying.
"The delivery of the equipment of the S-400 Triumf system is expected to be completed within the agreed time frame," he said in comments made during an armed forces event.
India purchased the S-400 Triumf air defence system units in 2018 for $5.4 billion. Three of the systems have been delivered and two more are still awaited.
The deliveries are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024, according to news agency Interfax.
The Indian Air Force said in March that the war in Ukraine was holding up vital defence supplies from Russia.
New Delhi has been seeking in recent years to diversify imports or replace them with home-built hardware. It is buying French fighter jets, Israeli drones and U.S. jet engines.
But Russia still accounted for $8.5 billion of the $18.3 billion India has spent on arms imports since 2017, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
(Reuters)
