BIG Boost To Air Defence Capabilities: India Receives Fourth S-400 Squadron From Russia

New Delhi: In a major boost to India's air defence capabilities, the fourth squadron of the S-400 Sudarshan reached India from Russia a few days ago. These air defemce missiles will soon be deployed in the operational areas. Notably, India was set to receive two remaining squadrons of S-400 in 2026. Russia will now only have to deliver the one squadron of the advanced air defence system as per the USD 5.43 billion contract signed in 2018. New Delhi signed the contract with Moscow to procure five S-400 squadrons. Out of these five squadrons, three arrived three years ago. According to reports, the remaining two squadrons were delayed due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. The fifth squadron of the S-400 is likely to arrive in the next

few months. The S-400, along with indigenously built air defence systems, played a significant role during Operation Sindoor in May last year. India's air defence system thwarted Pakistan's barrage of drone and missile attacks in the border areas of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has already cleared the procurement of five more squadrons of the S-400s.India is simultaneously working on developing an indigenous air defence ecosystem under the broader “Sudarshan Chakra” concept, aimed at integrating multiple systems into a unified network.India's Sudarshan Chakra:India is developing a homegrown air defence framework as part of the larger “Sudarshan Chakra”. It will be designed to integrate various systems into a single coordinated network. S-400, Barak and Project Kusha are part of the 'Sudarashan Chakra'. Notably, India's indigenous air defence system is a multi-layered architecture.

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Project Kusha:India is developing an indigenous programme, codenamed Project Kusha, to boost its air defence. The missile system is likely to be used to bridge the gap between the MR-SAM (80 km) and S-400 (400 km). The project was cleared for development by the Cabinet Committee on Security in May 2022.