After S-400, Is India Ready For The S-500 Air Defence? One Big Hurdle Remains

News18

27-05-2025

Last Updated:
India may seek Russia's S-500 Prometheus after the S-400 Triumf air defence system played a crucial role in neutralising threats from Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
Operation Sindoor marked one of the most intense air confrontations between India and Pakistan in recent memory with precision airstrikes by the Indian Air Force (IAF) targetting multiple terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). In retaliation, Pakistan launched several missiles and drones across border areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Punjab. But what could have been a devastating blow was largely neutralised in the skies, thanks to India's advanced air defence system, the S-400 Triumf.
Deployed in layers across vulnerable sectors, the S-400 shield intercepted a barrage of enemy drones and missiles, forcing Pakistani jets to abandon or alter their flight paths. Military analysts say the system played a critical role in limiting civilian casualties and infrastructure damage during the retaliation phase of the operation.
India's deployment of the S-400, a long-range surface-to-air missile system developed by Russia's Almaz Central Design Bureau, has transformed the dynamics of subcontinental air defence. Capable of detecting threats up to 600 kilometres away and engaging multiple aerial targets simultaneously, including stealth aircraft, cruise missiles, and even ballistic threats, the S-400 can destroy targets up to 400 kilometres away with pinpoint accuracy. Its rapid mobility ensures flexibility, allowing forces to reposition the system to match evolving tactical requirements.
India had inked a Rs 35,000 crore (approximately $5.4 billion) deal with Russia in 2018 for five squadrons of the S-400. The first squadron was deployed in Punjab in 2021, strategically positioned to counter threats from both Pakistan and China. Three squadrons are now operational; the remaining two are scheduled for delivery by 2026. Within the Indian Army, the system is referred to as ' Sudarshan Chakra ', a symbolic nod to its devastating reach and precision.
Designed not just to neutralise modern aerial threats but to dominate the near-space domain, the S-500 can intercept hypersonic glide vehicles, high-speed drones, and even satellites in low Earth orbit. This includes objects travelling at speeds and altitudes well beyond the interception capabilities of the S-400.
With a detection range of up to 2,000 kilometres for ballistic targets and the ability to intercept them at distances up to 600 kilometres, the S-500 offers unmatched coverage and lethality. It includes the deadly 77N6 series of interceptors, capable of 'hit-to-kill" engagements, and can simultaneously track and engage up to 10 targets, more than enough to counter a multi-vector aerial assault.
With this deal, India could become the first foreign customer of the S-500, should it formally express interest in acquiring the system. However, the path to procurement may not be straightforward.
The United States' CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act), enacted in 2018, empowers the US to sanction nations that conduct significant defence transactions with Russia. Though a 2022 legislative amendment pushed by Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna provided a temporary waiver for India's S-400 purchase, a similar exemption for the S-500 is not guaranteed.
With the growing threat from hypersonic missiles and evolving space warfare capabilities, India's interest in the S-500 is more than a symbolic upgrade – it is a strategic imperative. But the geopolitical calculations around such a deal will be as complex as the technology itself.
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