Indias S-400 Delivery Delayed: A Shift in Defense Ties with Russia

The delivery of S-400 air defense systems from Russia to India has been postponed by three years, according to a report by The Times of India, which cites anonymous sources familiar with a meeting between Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh.

This delay impacts a $5.4 billion agreement signed in 2018, which stipulated that Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport would provide New Delhi with five squadrons of the advanced S-400 systems by 2024.

Each S-400 regiment is comprised of two batteries, which together carry a total of 128 missiles designed to intercept aerial threats at distances up to 380 kilometers (236 miles). The systems also include radars and vehicles for all kinds of terrain.

Sources close to the discussions between Belousov and Singh informed The Times of India that the new completion date for the deliveries is now set for 2027.

This postponement, attributed by one source to Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine, occurs at a time when defense relations between the two nations are seeming to weaken.

In April, the Indian Defense Ministry decided to acquire 26 French Rafale fighter jets for $7.4 billion, opting for this deal instead of purchasing Sukhoi jets from Russia, according to Reuters.

Additionally, talks concerning the acquisition of Russian Ka-226T helicopters and Su-30MKI fighter jets were put on hold in 2023.

Furthermore, in 2022, Indian military officials scrapped plans to buy Russian T-72 and T-90 tanks, instead opting for French Leclerc tanks. They stated that the Russian tanks were unsuitable for mountainous areas and ineffective for border confrontations with China and Pakistan.

In 2023, India also declined a Russian proposal to build submarines based on the Amur-1650 design, choosing instead to acquire six submarines from Germany’s Thyssenkrupp.

Officials from the Indian government, as reported by Reuters in 2024, indicated that New Delhi is looking to reduce its reliance on Russia as an arms supplier.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia’s share of India’s defense imports has decreased from 72% during the period of 2010-2014 to 36% from 2020-2024.

SIPRI analysts noted, «India is realigning its arms supplier relationships towards Western countries, particularly France, Israel, and the United States.»

«Despite recent public statements from both sides asserting that India-Russia relations remain amicable, this shift is evident in India’s current and upcoming major arms orders, the majority of which are set to come from Western suppliers,» they added.