S-400 air defence missile system © Dmitriy Vinogradov / Reuters New Delhi has given the green light to purchase several Russian-made S-400 air defense systems, local media report. Indian military could become the second country in the world after China to procure state-of-the-art S-400s. On Friday, the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by India’s Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar cleared the purchase 5 regimental units of the S-400 from Russia, the Economic Times reports. The deal is expected to be sealed within days to come during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Moscow next week. Defense Ministry sources told the Economic Times that the fast-tracked decision is to strengthen the country’s air defense capabilities. The cost of the deal was not disclosed so far, though the source said it will “happen shortly thereafter.” Rough estimates suggest the air defense systems alone will cost India about 400 billion rupees (around $6 billion). Until recently, Russia has been p...
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