India moves to buy 5 more S-400s after Op Sindoor success; Russia sends cost proposal

The decision for approval will be taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security after the cost is finalised and a green signal obtained from the finance ministry.

India’s decision to acquire five more S-400 Triumf air defence systems from Russia has gained further momentum with Moscow sending in Bill of Quantities (BOQ) proposal, which details the cost of construction and materials, to Delhi for the cost negotiations to begin.

The decision to approve five more squadrons of S-400 air defence system will be taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security after the cost is finalized with Moscow.

The last of the five S-400 system contracted by the Narendra Modi government in 2018 at a cost of USD 5.43 billion will be reaching India in November this year.

Contrary to what a section of the media is reporting, India has taken no decision on the acquisition of two squadrons of fifth generation SU-57 fighter aircraft from Russia, but the Indian Air Force has shown interest in Moscow’s proposal as Chinese fifth generation fighter J-20 has been deployed by the Xi Jinping regime in Hotan, Lhasa and Nyinchi airbases in Tibet under the PLA’s western theatre command.

According to authoritative sources, the decision to approve five more squadrons of S-400 air defence system will be taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security after the cost is finalised with Moscow and a green signal obtained from the Indian finance ministry. The fifth S-400 system will be deployed in India’s eastern sector facing China.

During Operation Sindoor in May 2025, the S-400 system came out in flying colours with one of its long range missile targeting a Pakistan early airborne warning aircraft at a distance of 314 kilometers across the Indus in Pakistani heartland. While the Pakistanis used kamikaze drones to target the S-400 systems deployed in Adampur and Bhuj air bases, the Russian surface to air missile system ensured that none of the Pakistani fighters could come anywhere near the Indian border for the fear of being knocked down from the skies.

In fact, on May 10, the Pakistani air force moved all its air assets to bases near Durand Line with Afghanistan as 11 of their air bases were hit by Indian BrahMos missiles and as many as seven fighters were knocked down by Indian S-400 and Akash Tir air defence systems.

With Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to be in Delhi for BRICS summit on September 11-13, the Indian defence cooperation with Russia will be further cemented in the hypersonic missile sector.