NEW DELHI: India’s plan to acquire another five squadrons of the S-400 Triumf air defence systems as well as a large number of its surface-to-air missiles for already inducted systems, which performed exceedingly well during Operation Sindoor, are likely to figure in discussions during the Modi-Putin summit here on Dec 5.However, India is yet to take a call on acquiring two-three squadrons of the Russian fifth-generation Sukhoi-57 fighter, which Moscow is aggressively hawking vis-a-vis the American F-35 Lightning-II jets, top sources told TOI on Tuesday.”There is a case for IAF to induct two-three squadrons of fifth-generation fighters as a stopgap measure till the indigenous stealth AMCA (advanced medium combat aircraft) becomes ready for induction by 2035 or so. But no decision has been made on the Sukhoi-57, F-35 or any other choice,” a source said.Meanwhile, the PM-led cabinet committee on security (CCS) is set to approve the Rs 63,000 crore upgrade of the first lot of 84 Sukhoi-30MKI fighters – IAF has 259 such Russian-origin jets – with advanced radars, avionics, longer-range weapons and multi-sensor fusion to ensure they are capable of air combat for another 30 years. “While the upgrade will be carried out indigenously, Russia will have some role in it,” another source said. India has been trying to strike a balance between its long-standing arms supplier Russia and the increasingly transactional US under the Trump administration that wants to punish countries for buying Russian oil and arms.Several defence deals are in the pipeline with the US, which has already bagged Indian contracts worth $26 billion over the last 15 years. After the over $1 billion (Rs 8,900 crore) deal with US major General Electric for another 113 GE-F404 engines to power Tejas Mark-1A fighters was inked earlier this month, CCS on Wednesday cleared a Rs 7,000 crore “follow-on support package” for the 24 American MH-60R Seahawk helicopters being inducted by Navy for Rs 15,157 crore.On the Russian front, Moscow has assured New Delhi it will deliver by Nov 2026 the remaining two of the original five S-400 squadrons, ordered for $5.4 billion (Rs 40,000 crore) in 2018, after a long delay due to the Ukraine war.IAF is keeping its fingers crossed. Defence ministry has also approved the Rs 10,000 crore procurement of a large number of S-400 missiles – with interception ranges of 120, 200, 250 and 380km – to replenish stocks used during the hostilities with Pakistan as well as build reserves, as was earlier reported by TOI.”While IAF has asked for five more S-400 squadrons, defence ministry has already approved a comprehensive annual maintenance contract for the systems. Russia will set up an MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) facility in India for them,” the source said.Describing S-400 as a “gamechanger” during Op Sindoor, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh recently said it had shot down “at least five high-tech Pakistani fighters in the F-16 and JF-17-class” in the “longest kill ever achieved” at a distance of 314km.
