Russia submits S-400 proposal to India

Russia has submitted a detailed proposal to India's Defence Ministry in response to India's tender for five additional S-400 Sudarshan long-range air defence squadrons, a deal estimated at over Rs 50,000 crore. The proposal is being processed. India cleared the procurement in March 2026 following Operation Sindoor, during which the S-400 proved highly effective against Pakistani aerial threats, including a record 314-km kill of a Pakistan — Pakistan Air Force surveillance aircraft. India has already received four of five squadrons from the original 2018 contract, with the fifth expected by November 2026. Deliveries under the new contract are likely to begin about three years after signing. India is also procuring over 280 additional S-400 missiles and developing its own long-range air defence system under Project Kusha, which recently achieved a simulated kill at 140 km. The additional squadrons are intended to strengthen India's layered air defence along eastern and western fronts.