During the exercise, real fighter aircraft were flying to test the capabilities of the S-400 weapon system, now called Sudarshan by the Indian Air Force after the mighty Sudarshan chakra of Lord Krishan.
The first squadron of the S-400 system arrived in India in December 2021 and has been deployed on the Punjab border to thwart any air strikes from both Pakistan and China.
Over 70 percent of India's military hardware is made in Russia. Will India's relations with the United States be affected by our continued relations with Russia?
The US continues to have its concerns over India purchasing the multi-billion missile defense system from Russia.
The first regiment of the missile system is being deployed in such a way that it can cover parts of the border with China in the northern sector as well as the frontier with Pakistan.
The first squadron deliveries of Russia's powerful S-400 air defence missile system are expected to be completed by the end of this year, with the unit being operationalised in the next few weeks.
In October 2018, India had signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, despite a warning from the then Trump administration that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions.
In October 2018, India had signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, despite a warning from the Trump administration that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions.
India will receive the first batch of the sophisticated S-400 anti-aircraft surface-to-air missile system from Russia in October-December this year, a top official of the Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on Thursday.
In 2019, India made the first tranche of payment of around US$ 800 million to Russia for the missile systems.
The State Department official, who addressed Turkey buying the Russian S-400 missile defence system, did not directly address India acquiring the same system when it was raised during a briefing on Thursday, but brought up security issues in cooperating with India.
India inked an agreement with Russia in October last year to procure a batch of the missile systems at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore.
This is for the first time the People's Liberation Army (PLA) tested the system since it received the last shipments of the weaponry from Russia in July under a USD 3 billion contract signed in 2015.
In a statement, the Foreign Office said the Indian purchase was part of its efforts to acquire a Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) System through multiple sources.
"On S-400, I can tell you that this is dictated by our national interests," ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a media briefing on Thursday in New Delhi.
The US is trying to cut off all oil imports from Iran following President Donald Trump’s decision in May to pull out of the 2015 multilateral deal.
India had last week inked a USD 5 billion deal to purchase S-400 Triumf air defence system from Moscow.
CAATSA gives the Trump administration more ways to target Russia, Iran and North Korea with economic and political sanctions.
"Efforts are being made to minimise accidents due to human error by providing best possible training to the air crew and technicians to meet the challenges of operating current generation fighters, as well as legacy aircraft and weapons systems", said Air Force Chief.
CAATSA gives the Trump administration more ways to target Russia, Iran and North Korea with economic and political sanctions.
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