India-Russia Missile Air Defense Deal Still Delayed

January 4, 2018

The Diplomat:

India and Russia have still not concluded a final contract for the procurement of four to five regiments of Russian-made S-400 Triumf advanced Air Defense Systems (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) intended for service in the Indian Army.

Russian defense officials remain optimistic over the prospects of a successful conclusion of a final agreement in the near future. One Russian official said that negotiations were “at a very advanced stage” without offering additional details. “We hope that the S-400 deal will be signed with India soon,” Vice-Premier Dmitry Rogozin said on Russian television on December 27, TASS news agency reports.

In February 2017, Deputy Director of Russia’s Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation Vladimir Drozhzhov said that he expects the final contract to be signed by the end of last year. In addition, the head of Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport, Alexander Mikheyev noted in June 2017 that the signing of a final contract was imminent.

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