Indian Defence Ministry Clears Order For 288 Missiles For Russian S-400 Long Range Air Defence Systems

The Indian Defence Acquisition Council has granted the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for purchasing 288 new missiles for the Russian S-400 surface to air missile system under a $1.1 billion contract, following reports from October that the Defence Ministry was holding talks for such a procurement. The Indian Air Force is currently the largest foreign operator of the S-400, with five regiments’ worth of the systems having ordered in October 2018 under a $5.4 billion contract, of which four have been delivered with the fifth expected in 2026. The S-400 currently forms the backbone of the Russian Aerospace Forces’ own air defence network, compensating for significant cuts to the size of the country’s fighter fleet and major delays to its fifth generation fighter development efforts, with the system widely considered the world leader the world in the majority of major performance parameters. 

The S-400 was first combat tested in February 2022 by Russian forces against Ukrainian targets, and in May 2025 saw its first combat test in the hands of a foreign operator when used by the Indian Air Force against Pakistan Air Force targets. It was confirmed following these engagements that Indian-operated S-400 systems had been equipped with 40N6 long range surface-to-air missiles, which are by far the longest ranged weapons of their kind ever exported. These missiles allowed the Indian Air Force to shoot down at least one hostile aircraft at a 300 kilometre range, with the 40N6 having demonstrated a maximum targeting range of 400 kilometres allowing it to engage targets deep inside hostile airspace. It has been widely speculated that the advanced performance demonstrated by the 40N6 may have led the missiles to comprise a large portion of the new missiles ordered under the latest package. 

While the Indian Air Force’s only other high profile new combat asset procured in the last decade, the Rafale fighter, was widely considered to have seriously underperformed in engagements in May, Indian sources have widely praised the performance of the S-400. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 13 singled out the system’s performance when commenting on the war effort, stressing: “platforms like the S-400 have given unprecedented strength to the country.” Indian Air Force Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh three months later in early August observed: “The S-400 system which we had recently bought has been a game changer… The kill range of that system kept their aircraft away from the maximum distance at which they could employ their long-range air-to-ground weapons, like those long-range glide bombs that they have.” 

The order of 288 additional surface-to-air missiles for the S-400 system may help the Indian Air Force realise three major objectives. These include replenishing missiles expended during hostilities with Pakistan, increasing the numbers of more costly 40N6 missiles in service now that their combat capabilities have been verified, and potentially updating battalions deployed in particularly high priority locations with newer variants of existing missile types that were first ordered in 2018. The large scale of the S-400 program has meant that updates are continuously being applied to the system, including to its electronic warfare countermeasures and the guidance capabilities of its missiles, with procurements of newly produced missiles allowing Indian units to benefit from the latest technological advances. 

The potency of the Indian S-400 network is likely to be further strengthened as other complementary assets developed for long range air defence duties are expected to be procured. Indian media outlets in early December confirmed that the Defence Ministry was scheduled to begin formal discussions regarding the procurement of the S-500 long range air defence system, which is the world’s first mobile surface-to-air missile system with the ability to shoot down satellites or intercontinental range ballistic missiles. The S-500’s powerful sensors are expected to significantly increase the situational awareness of S-400 systems deployed in the same regions, while the system also integrates the same 40N6 missiles as well as even longer ranged missile types.

In January 2026 it was confirmed that talks for the sale of at least 140 Su-57 fighters to India under a major license production deal had reached a “deep technical stage.” This followed multiple reports over the preceding year that such talks were taking place, with the fighters expected to provide an invaluable boost to situational awareness serving as elevated sensor platforms. Each Su-57 fighter integrates five active electronically scanned array radars, with a next generation primary radar announced in 2025 to be under development. Alongside the S-500 and Su-57, it was confirmed in September 2025 that the Defence Ministry had initiated talks for the procurement of additional S-400 systems beyond the five battalions already ordered, with local media outlets reporting the following month that the Ministry was planning to proceed with placing orders.