International Business Times:
The Indian government is attempting to buy five Russian-built S-400 missile defense systems in a $4.5 billion deal, sending a team of negotiators to Moscow to finalize it. India’s Defense Acquisition Council, the highest procurement body under the Ministry of Defense, cleared the purchase of the advanced missile system during a meeting Thursday.
Moscow, however, is said to be lukewarm on the deal, preferring to concentrate on completing a joint venture to build the T-50 stealth fighter jet, the first fifth-generation fighter to be built outside of the U.S., according to a Defense News report released late Thursday. While a prototype of the advanced fighter already exists, Moscow wants India to commit to building and using the T-50, a deal which will release $10 billion to Moscow. The T-50 is due to be put into mass production in late 2016 regardless is India walks away from the deal.
Even if Moscow can be convinced to sign the S-400 deal, it’s unlikely to be completed before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Russian President Vladimir Putin on a state visit to Moscow over Dec. 24 – 25, according to the Defense News report…
