The S-400 systems will be central to India’s proposed national defence shield under Mission Sudarshan Chakra.
The defence acquisition council (DAC) on Friday approved a military capability boost worth ₹2.38 lakh crore to equip the country’s armed forces with more Russian-origin S-400 Triumf air defence systems, remotely piloted strike aircraft, transport planes, artillery guns and tank ammunition, the defence ministry said.
The proposed acquisition of five units of the S-400 missile system, which took out Pakistani targets during Operation Sindoor last May, will significantly boost the Indian Air Force’s ability to detect, identify, track and engage hostile fighters, missiles and drones. The remotely piloted strike aircraft, a must for the air force’s modernisation, will enable it to carry out precision strikes without risking the lives of personnel.
“The S-400 system will counter enemy long-range air vectors targeting vital areas, while the remotely piloted strike aircraft will enable undertaking offensive counter and coordinated air operations,” the defence ministry said. The remotely piloted strike aircraft, or unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), will also sharpen the IAF’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. HT has learnt that four squadrons of remotely piloted strike aircraft have been cleared.
The additional air defence systems will bring the number of S-400 units in the IAF to 10. India ordered five units from Russia for ₹39,000 crore in October 2018 under a government-to-government deal. The IAF has already deployed three units of the air defence system; Russia is expected to deliver the remaining systems by the year-end.
The S-400 systems will be central to India’s proposed national defence shield under Mission Sudarshan Chakra. The country plans to deploy this formidable military capability by 2035 to defend its defence and civilian installations against aerial attacks and to strike back at the enemy with overwhelming force.
The council’s Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the S-400 systems and other military hardware is the first step in the procurement process. “The approval for additional S-400 systems is the key takeaway from the DAC meeting. Ongoing wars in Ukraine and West Asia, and Operation Sindoor last year, have underscored the importance of air defence systems. S-400 is one of the top such systems in the world. For a country the size of India, the five units ordered earlier were inadequate. The new systems will provide the needed air defence coverage,” said military affairs expert Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retired).
The DAC, headed by defence minister Rajnath Singh, also cleared the purchase of 60 medium transport aircraft (MTA) to boost the IAF’s airlift capabilities. “The induction of medium transport aircraft—replacing the AN-32 and IL-76 transport fleets—will meet the strategic, tactical and operational airlift requirements of the services,” the defence ministry said in a statement.
Singh said the decisions taken in the DAC will help further strengthen India’s defence preparedness. Those vying for the MTA order include US firm Lockheed Martin with its C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, Brazilian plane maker Embraer, which has offered its KC-390 Millennium aircraft to India and European Airbus Defence and Space with its A-400M. The three-cornered contest will align with the government’s Make in India initiative to boost self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector; the winner will set up a production line for the planes in India.
The US firm has tied up with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), and Embraer has teamed up with Mahindra to bid for the contract. However, Airbus has not yet announced its partner.
The C-130J can carry a load of 20 tonnes, compared to the KC-390’s 26 tonnes and the A-400M’s 37 tonnes.
India is likely to conclude several big contracts in the financial year 2026-27 to sharpen the air force’s combat edge, including deals for buying 114 Rafale fighter jets, 60 MTA and additional airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) systems, as HT previously reported.
