India Is Serious About Buying S-400 Missiles, Iran Is Interested In Russian-made Weapons

Russia's S 400 Triumf missile. (Wikimedia Commons/Участник:Goodvint)

JAKARTA - Good news comes for Russia from two of its partner countries, India and Iran. The two countries are serious about purchasing Russian-made military weapons, with India showing its commitment to purchasing the S-400 missiles.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia and India had consistently developed cooperation in the economic, political, humanitarian, military-technical, and health fields in accordance with the agreements reached at the highest level.

In the military field, India called Lavrov remains committed to buying advanced S-400 missiles from Russia. He said there were no changes in Russia's contract with India regarding the delivery of the S-400 surface-to-air missile system.

"Let me note the implementation of the contract for delivery of the S-400 system to India. Here we see no change and the Indian leadership reaffirms its commitment to this agreement," he said at a press conference, following the outcome of a meeting of foreign ministers from the BRICS association (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) which was held via video conference, as reported by TASS, Tuesday, June 1.

New Delhi announced its intention to purchase Russian-made S-400 air defense systems in 2015. A 5.43 billion US dollar contract for the delivery of five regimental sets of S-400 'Triumf' anti-aircraft missile systems, signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit to India in October 2018.

Russia's S-400 'Triumf' (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) is the newest long- and medium-range surface-to-air missile system that entered service in 2007. The system is designed to destroy strategic and tactical aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, and hypersonic weapons and can also be used against ground installations.

Illustration of a Russian combat vehicle. (Wikimedia Commons/Mil.ru/Ministry of Defense)

Feared by the United States and its allies, the S-400 can strike targets at a distance of up to 400 km and at an altitude of up to 30 km under intensive enemy fire and interference. And capable of attacking 36 targets at the same time.

Separately, the head of Russia's Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugayev said Iran was showing serious interest in various weapons made in the Red Bear Country.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Union of Machine-Builders Congress on Tuesday, Shugayev said Russia has prospects of military and technical cooperation with Iran, which is interested in various types of Russian-made weapons.

"We have longstanding relations with Iran. We are implementing contractual commitments, which we assume are for delivery. There are prospects (bilateral military and technical cooperation). Tehran is interested in different types (of weapons)," Shugayev said.

Meanwhile, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali said in an interview with Zvezda TV Channel, the Russian Defense Ministry in October 2020 stated that the Islamic Republic and Russia have good prospects for developing military and technical cooperation with the end of the UN embargo on arms shipments.