In the next two to three months, a new squadron of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems will be deployed in India’s northern border area with China.
According to recent reports, India will soon deploy its second squadron of the S-400 Air Defense Missile System near China border amidst Ladakh Standoff. The delivery of the second unit of S-400 system is underway from Russia.
A new squadron of S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems is set to become operational in the next two to three months along the northern borders with China. This addition with the Indian Air Force (IAF) will give a boost to India’s ability to detect and destroy enemy fighters, strategic and tactical bombers, missiles and drones at long ranges.
Sources noted that the delivery of the second operational S-400 squadron through ships and aircraft is underway from Russia. It would be the first military delivery ever since the Russia-Ukraine war erupted earlier this year in February.
Notably, the fresh delivery of the S-400 squadron comes in the backdrop of China increasing its air activity near Ladakh. Chinese fighters were often sighted flying close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) violating the 10 km no-fly zone between the two sides.
“Chinese fighter deployments and sorties have gone up along the 3,488-km LAC since mid-June, especially across Ladakh but also in other sectors like Arunachal Pradesh. There are often two-three Chinese fighter sorties near the LAC in a day,” a source noted.
The first S-400 squadron, delivered in December last year, is deployed in Northwest India to tackle threats from both, Pakistan and China. The second S-400 squadron will be deployed on the China front.
Earlier this year in April, the IAF obtained ‘simulators and other equipment for S-400 training squadron.’
About the S-400 “Triumf”
The S-400 Triumf is a mobile, surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed in the 1990s by Russia’s Almaz Central Design Bureau as an upgrade to the S-300 family. The S-400 costs $300 million per unit.
The S-400 is designed to destroy enemy aircrafts, ballistic and cruise missiles, etc. It is claimed that the S-400 is capable of detecting and engaging targets upto a range of 400 km, depending on the missile variant used. It is also claimed that this air defense system is capable of detecting and destroying stealth aircrafts.
Current operators of the S-400 Air Defense System are the Belarusian Armed Forces, People’s Liberation Army, Indian Armed Forces, Turkish Armed Forces and the Russian Armed Forces. As of 2019 Russia was operating at least 57 battalions of the S-400 deployed with 25 regiments.