Pakistan decides to buy state of the art 'Pantsir' missile defence system from Russia: Report
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NEW DELHI - Pakistan has decided to buy Russian-made Pantsir Missile System from Moscow.
Pantsir is a medium-range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon system.
Pakistan is now planning to send a delegation to Moscow to finalise the deal and also have an arrangement for training defence personnel to Pantsir Missile System.
"Pakistan is buying the latest and modernised weapons system to counter India. Pakistan is eyeing to procure tanks to anti-aircraft guns and surface-to-air missile system from Russia," an Indian Defence Ministry official, aware of these developments, told to Zee News.
As per an earlier report, Pakistan has drawn up a plan to also procure 360 T-90 tanks from Russia to bolster its combat power along the border with India.
T-90 tanks are the backbone of armoured regiments of the Indian Army.
Pakistan is trying to forge a deeper defence corporation with Russia, which has been India's 'all-weather' ally and shares a defence relationship that goes back to the Soviet era.
Pakistan trying for closer ties with Russia is evident from joint military exercises along with defence deals which have triggered concerns in New Delhi.
Equipped with an array of radars for tackling and target-acquisition, Pantsir system is able to counter enemy air attacks employing precision munitions at the low to extremely low ranges. It also provides air defence cover to military installations against aircraft, helicopters, cruise missile and UAVs.
In another effort to revamp its armored fleet, Pakistan has decided to buy close to 600 tanks with Chinese help. At present, over 70 per cent of Pakistani tanks have night-time operational capabilities which is a concern for India.
