Overview

• Indian defence sources report New Delhi is evaluating further S-400 units or the newer S-500, with no new order announced.
• The 2018 $5.43 billion S-400 contract carries a follow-on clause allowing up to five additional systems on similar terms adjusted for inflation and exchange rates.
• Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh credited the S-400 with downing five Pakistani fighters and an AEW&C at roughly 300 km during May’s Operation Sindoor.
• Russia is expected to complete remaining S-400 deliveries by September 2026, with Indian reports indicating two systems are still due.
• Moscow has signalled readiness to expand cooperation, and the S-500—tested in 2021 against a ballistic target—is under consideration by India.