|HT|
With the induction of at least two regiments of S-400 air defence systems on north and east borders of India beginning 2022, the Modi government will finally balance the tactical disadvantage faced by the military after PLA’s surprise May 2020 transgressions on 1,597-km Ladakh Line of Control (LAC). According to diplomats based in Moscow, the advance elements of S-400 systems have already started arriving in India with deep penetration radars of the two systems (in sequence) in place next month. The two S-400 systems will be operational by early 2022 to match the Chinese deployment of the same Russian system across the Ladakh and Arunachal LAC. Two Indian military teams, trained in Russia, are ready to operate the S-400 system, which has a reach of nearly 400 km into enemy territory.
That India has been able to get two S-400 complexes in a short time is due to its very close relationship between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is for this reason that President Vladimir Putin is making second exception this year to step out of his country to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 6. While President Putin has received guests at Black Sea resort of Sochi, the only time he stepped out of Russia was to meet US President Joe Biden on June 16 at Geneva. He has only held virtual summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in June this year and will not travel to Beijing despite the two countries having an annual summit format on lines with India. Despite raging Covid conditions, Russia allowed Indian S-400 teams to train and opened manufacturing facilities shut down during spread of coronavirus pandemic in the past two years.
(Except for the headline and the pictorial description, this story has not been edited by THE DEN staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)