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India To Receive Two More S-400 Units By 2025-26: Russia

India To Receive Two More S-400 Units By 2025-26: Russia

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In 2018, India signed a USD 5.43 billion deal with Russia for five squadrons of the S-400 Triumf missile system, of which three have been delivered and two still remain pending.
Russia will deliver two more units of the S-400 air defence system to India by 2025-2026. Notably, the S-400 was used during the recent Operation Sindoor launched by India in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Roman Babushkin, Russian Deputy Chief of Mission in India, said that the S-400 performed very efficiently during the military action between India and Pakistan, also giving a hint on expanding bilateral cooperation with India in air defence and anti-drone systems.
'We heard that the S-400 performed very efficiently during the recent clashes between India and Pakistan. We have a long history of collaboration. 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 Videos.
He also confirmed that the contract for the remaining two S-400 units is likely to be delivered by 2025-26.
Notably, in 2018, India signed a USD 5.43 billion deal with Russia for five squadrons of the S-400 Triumf missile system. While three squadrons have already been delivered, two still remain pending.
Speaking further on the expansion of defence collaboration, Babushkin said, 'We are open to promotion of this partnership for the discussion of the expansion of dialogue on air defence systems."
Commenting on the growing threat of drones, particularly in light of their extensive use during the India-Pakistan clash, he said, 'We have been facing this threat for several years already, and I think that our systems are being modernised constantly. I think it would be a joint interest from both sides how to counter this threat and lead to some other cooperation," adding that anti-drone systems are already part of the ongoing India-Russia defence dialogue.
First Published:
June 02, 2025, 23:32 IST

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Tharoor-Congress feud sparks buzz in his Thiruvananthapuram constituency, unease in party unit
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Tharoor-Congress feud sparks buzz in his Thiruvananthapuram constituency, unease in party unit

While Tharoor continues to make waves within the Congress Modi government's efforts at political diplomacy, voters in his Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency—where he has won four consecutive terms—still appreciate his independent voice. But within the local Congress unit, there is caution, with some leaders uneasy about him speaking against the party line. The Congress leader's remarks in Panama last week were slammed by Congress leader Udit Raj, who publicly accused Tharoor of disparaging the party's 'golden history' and provocatively suggested he should be the 'BJP's super spokesperson'. Thiruvananthapuram: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor calling India's 2016 surgical strike across the Line of Control (LoC) a 'first' has drawn sharp criticism from within the Congress, since it contradicts the party's position that similar strikes occurred under UPA. Back in his constituency of Thiruvananthapuram, though, the comment has generated a different kind of buzz. Voters and local Congress leaders are watching Tharoor's moves closely—while some admire his individual appeal, others interpret the remark as a sign of his growing national ambitions and political recalibration. A local Congress functionary, who wished to not be named, said Tharoor's 'continuous praise for Modi has put the party in a difficult position with the public'. 'He can't continue praising Modi. It's making it difficult for us here as people question us on why the leaders are praising the BJP.' The functionary added that while the party has instructed its members not to speak against Tharoor, he should also be mindful and ideally raise internal disagreements within the party. Tharoor's relationship with the Congress party has soured in the past weeks due to his public deviations from official party stances. He has repeatedly praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, most recently endorsing India's military response, 'Operation Sindoor', after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, saying it was 'well done'. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, though, swiftly clarified that Tharoor's statements did 'not reflect the party's stance'. Ramesh later also accused the Centre of playing 'cheap political games' by selecting Tharoor to lead an all-party delegation to explain India's position on the conflict with Pakistan, especially since the Congress had provided four MP names for consideration, and the Centre still chose him even though he wasn't on the list. Earlier, Tharoor had also drawn criticism from party leaders over his 2-day visit and meeting with US President Donald Trump, which he maintained was 'good for India', even as his colleagues were vocally attacking the Indian government over the repatriation of Indians from the US. However, despite some local resentment over his long absences, the functionary quoted above noted that Tharoor continues to win because voters ultimately want the Congress to remain in power. Also read: Shashi Tharoor's loyalty keeps colliding with Congress scepticism—while his global stature grows Changing perceptions, declining margins Tharoor has held the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency, which encompasses seven Assembly segments, since 2009, but recent electoral trends indicate a discernible weakening of his support base. His victory margins, close to one lakh in both 2009 and 2019, dropped considerably in 2014 and, more recently, in 2024 to just 16,077 votes against BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar. 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Shubha V., 44, also a resident of Vizhinjam, similarly said Tharoor has a 'good name and reputation, which has created the perception that he might be right'. A local fisherman in Vizhinjam, 50-year-old Abilis George, too, feels the ongoing disagreement is 'just a result of the Congress's internal fight'. 'The Congress is hugely divided. They don't have any consensus on a stand. We can't blame Tharoor for that,' he added. However, Antony S., a 42-year-old Congress supporter from Kovalam who has campaigned for Tharoor in past elections, including in 2024, expressed regret at voting him in again. 'It was a mistake to re-elect him. He hasn't done anything here,' he said. He added that he voted for him to secure a win for the Congress and Rahul Gandhi, and finds Tharoor's praise for the BJP disheartening. He emphasised that Tharoor's votes are largely 'party votes' and that he 'can't win without a party'. Nandakumar, a 54-year-old grocery store owner in Neyyattinkara, appreciated Tharoor as 'a good person and a global citizen', but urged him to consider his voters. 'He is hoping to get more power and position in the BJP, it seems. But he should stay with the party's policies. Without the Congress, he will not win,' said Nandakumar. He added that Tharoor's votes have significantly reduced due to his perceived poor performance as an MP. Sudheer M., a 53-year-old auto driver in the same town, feels Tharoor is being unfairly targeted. 'It looks like the Congress is throwing him out. He is just saying what is true.' Another resident of Neyyattinkara, 74-year-old Somasekharan Nair, said Tharoor has never praised the PM blindly, he is only 'admitting to the good deeds of other politicians'. Nair added that it seemed like Tharoor wanted to join the BJP. 'It looks like he is not satisfied with his position in the Congress. But it's not right to show it openly,' he said. Younger voters, like 39-year-old Shyamjith M. and 24-year-old Sudhin Gokul S., view Tharoor as a well-meaning intellectual who 'speaks beyond politics', while the Congress's reaction to him has been 'political'. Gokul noted a shift in Tharoor's votes to Chandrasekhar in 2024, as people saw the latter as an 'equal alternative'. In Thiruvananthapuram city, too, voters had mixed reactions. Shaji H., a resident of Thiruvananthapuram's Balaramapuram, said that though Tharoor is a good MP, the backing of the Congress is important for his victory from the constituency. He, too, said that Tharoor's recent activities suggested he was interested in joining the BJP. 'His individual support is decreasing here. If he goes to the BJP. He will not win,' he said. Congress functionaries feel 'betrayed' While the public expressed a mixed reaction, local Congress functionaries largely agree that Tharoor's victory is primarily due to the party's influence rather than his charisma. 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(Edited by Sugita Katyal) Also read: After Tharoor, Congress now has a Salman Khurshid problem as ex-minister lauds Article 370 abrogation

Pope Leo, Putin discuss Ukraine war; Vatican calls for peace, Kremlin focuses on ‘root causes'
Pope Leo, Putin discuss Ukraine war; Vatican calls for peace, Kremlin focuses on ‘root causes'

First Post

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Pope Leo, Putin discuss Ukraine war; Vatican calls for peace, Kremlin focuses on ‘root causes'

In his first call since taking over as the Vicar of Christ, Pope Leo appealed to Russian leader Vladimir Putin to make peace in Ukraine and address the humanitarian situation in the country. Before taking over as the pope, he had condemned the Russian war on Ukraine as an 'imperialist' invasion. read more Pope Leo discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. Since taking over as the Vicar of Christ last month, this was Leo's first call with Putin. While Leo stressed the need for a ceasefire and referred to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, Putin spoke of the purported Ukrainian aggression and repeated his maximalist demands. 'The Pope made an appeal for Russia to take a gesture that would favor peace, emphasising the importance of dialogue to create positive contacts between the parties and seek solutions to the conflict,' the Vatican said in a statement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The conversation came at a time when Ukraine and Russia are holding direct talks hosted by Turkey. The talks have come amid increasing violence as Russia has continued to launch hundreds of drones and missiles on a near-daily basis lately. On Sunday, Ukraine launched a drone attack on five Russian airbases and destroyed nearly a third of Russia's long-range, nuclear-capable bomber and surveillance fleets. In its readout, the Kremlin said that Putin told Leo that 'root causes' needs to be addressed for their to be an 'ultimate, fair, and thorough resolution'. 'Root causes' is how Putin and his top officials refer to their maximalist demands for the end of the Ukraine war. Such demands essentially amount to Ukraine's surrender and the cessation of Ukrainian neighbourhood. Such demands include the complete surrender of five Ukrainian provinces that Russia claims and Russian occupation's international recognition; limits on post-war Ukrainian military; amendments to Ukrainian constitution to include Russian language in official business, a ban on nationalist bodies in Ukraine, and other changes; creation of a buffer zone on Ukraine's side of the envisioned new border; etc. The Kremlin said that Putin 'drew special attention to the fact that the Kyiv regime was banking on escalating the conflict and carried out sabotage against civilian infrastructure' in Russia. Before taking over as the Pope, Leo had condemned the Russian war on Ukraine as 'a true invasion, imperialist in nature, where Russia seeks to conquer territory for reasons of power'. The approach was in sharp contrast to then-Pope Francis' stand on the conflict, who was often criticised for taking a softer position and not directly condemning Russia for invading Ukraine. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

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