'Performed very efficiently recently': Russia says India to get remaining S-400 systems by 2026
ANI photo
NEW DELHI: Russia will deliver the remaining units of S-400 air defence systems to India by 2025-2026, in accordance with the deal, Russian authorities confirmed on Monday.
The deputy chief of Russian mission in India, Roman Babushkin confirmed that the contract was on track.
The official also noted that the system performed well during Operation Sindoor.
"We heard that the S-400 performed very efficiently during the recent clashes between India and Pakistan. The air defence systems, according to what we are experiencing, the situation in Europe and here, this is one of the promising topics of our partnership in defence preparation in general," Babushkin told PTI .
Babushkin also hinted at expanding bilateral cooperation with India in air defence and anti-drone systems while hailing the age-old partnership between India and Russia.
"We have a long history of collaboration. We are open for promotion of this partnership for the discussion of the expansion of dialogue on air defence systems," he said.
Talking about Russia's own experience of dealing with drone attacks, the official said that Russian defence systems were being upgraded . "We are facing this threat for several years already, and I think that our systems are being modernised constantly."
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025
Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List
Undo
India has already received three of the five S-400 Triumf missile system. The deal was signed in 2018 worth $5.43 billion. India had defied US threat against dealing with Russia in the wake of sanctions on Moscow.
Developed by Russia's Almaz-Antey, the S-400 is among the most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile systems in the world. The S-400 can engage aerial targets at ranges of up to 400 km and detect threats as far as 600 km away. It supports four different types of missiles, enabling it to target everything from aircraft and drones to cruise and ballistic missiles. Equipped with sophisticated phased-array radar, the system can track over 100 targets simultaneously and is mounted on mobile launchers for rapid repositioning.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
25 minutes ago
- Mint
PM Modi to flag off first train to Kashmir on Friday: Here's why it is India's historic rail milestone
The stage is all set for the first-ever train to Kashmir. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will finally inaugurate the first Vande Bharat Express train to Kashmir on 6 June from Jammu after the completion of the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project. This will be Prime Minister Modi's first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after 'Operation Sindoor' – India's precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan launched on 7 May in response to the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists. Modi will flag off the train services from the Shri at Vaishno Devi (SMVD) railway station in Katra, Jammu to Baramulla in north Kashmir. Modi will also flag off another train from Baramulla to Katra on the occasion. Trains have been running between Banihal and Baramulla in the Kashmir valley, and between Jammu, Udhampur and Katra in Jammu region. But the 111-km Katra-Banihal section was the most difficult to construct owing to the challenging terrain. Modi will also inaugurate the highest railway arch bridge over river Chenab and India's first cable-stayed Anji Khad bridge on the occasion. He is also expected to address a rally on the occasion. Earlier, the inauguration of the much-awaited train was scheduled for 19 April, however, it was postponed dur to bad weather. Three days later Pahalgam terror attack happened in Kashmir. The development will end over 70 years of wait for a direct train service to Kashmir linking the valley to rest of India first time throough a rail link. At present, trains are operational just between Sangaldan and Baramulla in the Valley and from Katra to across the country. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link (USBRL) Project was initially sanctioned in 1995 during the time of Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, at an estimated cost of ₹ 2,500 crore. While the ambitious project to connect Kashmir by train began in 1997, it was commissioned in bits and parts and faced multiple delays due to geographical challenges posed by the terrain. However, it gained momentum after then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee designated it as a national initiative in 2002. In 2009, Qazigund - Baramulla section in Kashmir was rendered operational, following which in 2013, the 18-km Banihal - Qazigund section, and in 2014 - the 24-km Udhampur - Katra section was started. In 2023, the section between Banihal and Sangaldan was started and now the connectivity between Sangaldan and Katra, which is believed to be the most difficult of all sections has been completed. The Banihal-Katra section contains 97 km of tunnels and 7 km of bridges. In December 2024, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister of Railways, said that the final track construction of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link was finished. "Historic milestone; final track work on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link is complete. The ballastless track work for the 3.2 km-long Tunnel T-33, located at the foothills of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine and connecting Katra to Reasi, was successfully completed today at 02:00 hrs," he wrote on X The famous Chenab Bridge, the world's tallest railway bridge standing 359 meters above mean sea level, is also part of the track and will enhance the picturesque route connecting Jammu and Srinagar. At an estimated cost of over ₹ 43,000 crore, the USBR Lproject involved laying out ballast less tracks over bridges and tunnels, spanning deep gorges, with 90 per cent of the route traversed over 943 bridges, and 36 main tunnels, including India's longest railway tunnel, T-50 stretching more than 12.7 km. On the Katra - Banihal section, the train will also traverse another engineering marvel, the Anji Khad bridge, which is India's first cable-stayed bridge. Supported by 96 cables, the 725-meter-long bridge stands 331 meters above mean sea level. For now, only one Kashmir-specific Vande Bharat train will ply on the Katra and Srinagar route to Baramulla. More trains will start plying on the route based on the public response, officials said. Earlier a direct train from Delhi to Srinagar was expected. But due to security and weather reasons, the passengers would have to get down at the Katra railway station and board another train to continue the journey forward to Kashmir. In February, Vaishnaw said that passengers who want to travel from Delhi to Srinagar can book one ticket and change the train at Katra railway. All passengers boarding the train to Srinagar from Delhi or vice versa or from any other part of the country would have to undergo thorough frisking. Besides, their luggage would be screened at the time of boarding. The luggage would then undergo fresh scanning at departure lounges once the passengers get down at the Katra station. Before they board another train, they would again be subjected to frisking by the security personnel. The trains will ply on the Kashmir route only during the daytime. No trains would ply during evening hours in the Valley. The Kashmir version of Vande Bharat is equipped with climate-specific adaptations to provide advance heating systems in sub-zero temperatures, driver's front lookout glass embedded with heating elements for defrosting, and to ensure clear visibility during harsh winters. The region's connectivity with the rest of the country would be improved with the completion of the USBRL Project and the launch of direct Vande Bharat trains between Kashmir and Delhi via Jammu. In addition to addressing logistical issues, this will boost economic expansion and encourage travel. -The total cost of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link project is about ₹ 43,000 crore. -The seamless all-weather connectivity links Kashmir Valley to the rest of India for the first time through a rail link. -The connectivity will boost the local economy and trade by offering easier transport if local goods like apples, saffron and handicrafts to major Indian markets. Until now, these products had to be transported through Jammu and Kashmir Highway which gets affected by harsh weather during winters. -The rail link will also improve access to popular destinations like Gulmarg and Pahalgam. Tourism in Kashmir Valley was severly affeceted after Pahalgam terror attack. Historic milestone; final track work on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link is complete. -Officials said that the project will also create employment opportunities in railway, tourism, and logistics sectors. -Above all, it simplifies travel to major cities for medical care and universities.
Hindustan Times
30 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
NATO wrestles over how to handle Ukraine at Trump summit
How to have Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky at NATO's Hague summit and avoid a bust-up with US President Donald Trump? What to say on Kyiv's desire to join their alliance? With NATO appearing on track to seal a deal on ramping up defence spending, another thorny issue now threatens to overshadow the gathering in three weeks: what to do about Ukraine? When they met in Washington a year ago, NATO's leaders feted Zelensky, pledged more military hardware and vowed Kyiv was on an "irreversible path" for membership in their alliance. That was before Trump's return to the White House ripped up Washington's support for Ukraine and upended the West's approach to Russia's three-year war. Since he regained the US presidency, Trump had a dramatic Oval Office falling out with Zelensky, opened the door to warmer ties with Moscow and forced both sides to the negotiating table. Kyiv's European backers have pushed to invite Zelensky to the June 24-25 meeting in the Netherlands to show NATO still stands strongly behind Ukraine. But the United States has been reluctant even to have Zelensky there and the reality is Trump has already blown a huge hole in Western backing for Kyiv. The Ukrainian leader said this week he'd received an invite from NATO chief Mark Rutte for Kyiv to be there in some form. "We can confirm that Ukraine will be with us in The Hague," a NATO official told AFP. Diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Zelensky could come for a dinner hosted by the Dutch king for NATO leaders, but that there likely wouldn't be formal talks between Ukraine and the alliance. "It will be a PR disaster if he's not there," a European diplomat said, speaking as others on condition of anonymity. How Zelensky may be received in The Hague looks set to depend heavily on the progress, if any, of fraught talks with Russia over the next few weeks. So far two rounds of meetings between the warring sides in Istanbul have produced few results. Trump appears to be getting increasingly annoyed with Russian President Vladimir Putin for dragging his feet on a ceasefire. But the US leader still hasn't responded with sanctions against Moscow and has equally expressed his displeasure with Zelensky's outspokenness. Rutte has insisted that Ukraine remains a "priority" issue at the summit. Diplomats, however, say that the overwhelming focus is on striking an agreement on spending that satisfies Trump's demands to spend five percent of GDP on defence and keeps the United States on board at NATO. Multiple officials say the alliance looks set to reach a compromise put forward by Rutte of 3.5 percent of GDP on core defence, and 1.5 percent on broader spending such as infrastructure. "Defence spending is the most important part and no one wants to jeopardise that," a second diplomat said. One area where there doesn't seem much uncertainty is that NATO will steer clear of its previous strong statements that Ukraine is on course to join the alliance. Trump has repeatedly poured cold water on Ukraine's ambition to become a member and even blamed Kyiv's bid to join for provoking Russia's war. NATO is aiming to keep a final declaration from the summit short and avoid mention of Ukraine's possible membership to not open up any fissures. "There will be nothing on that," said a third diplomat, at NATO. "My expectation is we will be absolutely silent." There also looks set to be no joint statement on military support from the alliance's 32 countries as Trump has hit the brakes on assistance. In a sign of how far the US has moved, officials said US defence secretary Pete Hegseth won't attend a meeting of NATO backers in Brussels on Wednesday. He will however jet in for a meeting of NATO defence ministers on Thursday. del/ec/giv
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
Kamal Haasan's 'Thug Life' falls short of 'Indian 2' premiere day advance bookings in the USA
Kamal Haasan's 'Thug Life,' directed by Mani Ratnam, is set for a strong U.S. debut, earning $454,000 in advance sales. However, it trails Haasan's 'Indian 2,' which has already grossed $580,431, becoming his biggest North American premiere. 'Thug Life' faces controversy in Karnataka, with its release postponed due to Haasan's remarks on Kannada's origin. Kamal Haasan 's much-anticipated gangster drama Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam , is poised for a solid debut in the United States, though it has fallen short of matching the premiere day advance booking numbers of Haasan's upcoming film Indian 2. Advance ticket sales for Thug Life's U.S. premiere have reached US $454,000 across 375 locations, covering over 1000 shows and selling more than 17,000 tickets. Industry analysts are projecting that the film's total North American premiere day earnings could go up to US $ 800,000 positioning it as Haasan's second-biggest premiere day opening in the region.. However, when compared to the advance sales of Indian 2, which is set to release last year, Thug Life trails notably. Indian 2 has already clocked $580,431 in advance sales across 484 locations, with 1,457 shows and 27,935 tickets sold for its U.S. premiere. This makes Indian 2 Haasan's biggest premiere day in North America so far — even before its 2 being a sequel to Kamal Haasan's 1996 hit film Indian- the buzz for the film was much more as compared to Thug Life. Thug Life marks a major reunion between Kamal Haasan and legendary director Mani Ratnam after their iconic 1987 collaboration Nayakan. The film features a stellar ensemble cast including Silambarasan TR , Trisha Krishnan , Joju George , and Ali Fazal , with music composed by A.R. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Are you 18-79 with no funeral insurance? Talk to NZ Seniors today NZ Seniors Get Quote Undo Rahman. It's scheduled for a global release on June 5, 2025, and will release in multiple languages including Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Malayalam. Back home, however, Thug Life has run into controversy. The film's release in Karnataka has been postponed following backlash against Haasan's recent remarks claiming Kannada originated from Tamil. The statement drew sharp criticism from the Kannada-speaking community and the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), which demanded an apology and threatened to block the film's release in the state. Haasan stood by his comments, refusing to apologize, asserting they were misinterpreted. Following escalating tensions, the decision was made to indefinitely postpone Thug Life's release in Karnataka. The Karnataka High Court also weighed in, advising Haasan to apologize to the Kannada community. Despite the controversy, Thug Life continues to generate substantial international interest. The film's strong U.S. advance bookings reaffirm Kamal Haasan's enduring global appeal, though it now has a new bar to beat with Indian 2 already setting an impressive record ahead of its premiere. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
