MOSCOW – *World’s Most dangerous Missile Defence System being readied fordeployment along Pakistani borders.*
Russia says it has started the production of a batch of S-400 missiledefense systems for India under a deal the two countries reached two yearsago, despite threats of sanctions made by the United States against NewDelhi over the purchase of the advanced Russian systems.
The S-400 Triumph missile defense systems, designed and produced by Russianstate-owned company Almaz-Antey, are capable of engaging targets at adistance of 400 kilometers and at an altitude of up to 30 kilometers.
The missile system can destroy aircraft as well as cruise and ballisticmissiles. It can also be used against land-based targets.
India has announced to deploy the Missile defence System along Pakistan andChina borders.
Moscow and New Delhi had signed a general agreement on the sale of fiveunits of the air defense systems back in October 2016. They signed thecontract for the procurement, worth 5.43 billion dollars, in October 2018.
“The Almaz-Antey concern has begun manufacturing the S-400 systems forIndia, and Russia will deliver the S-400s to India within the timeframestipulated by the contract,” said Russian Industry and Trade Minister DenisManturov on Tuesday.
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Manturov added that training centers had already been set up in India toprepare the Indian operators of Russia’s most advanced long-range airdefense platform.
“In general, all commitments undertaken by the parties, including thepayment, are being fulfilled in full,” Manturov stressed.[image: US threatens India with sanctions over purchasing Russia’s S-400missile systems]linkThe US has so far made numerous attempts to scuttle the deal, warning NewDelhi that the Russian systems could purportedly restrict India’s“interoperability” with American systems. Washington has also hinted thatit could subject the Asian country to economic sanctions over the purchase.link
Last month, a senior official at the US State Department urged New Delhi toreconsider purchasing Russia’s S-400 systems or face the “risk ofapplication of sanctions” under the Countering America’s AdversariesThrough Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
In spite of its name, the act has been brandished by Washington againstallied nations mulling weapons deals with Russia — namely India and Turkey.
A number of NATO member states, the US in particular, claim thatRussian-made S-400 missile batteries are not compatible with those of themilitary alliance, prompting it to threaten to impose sanctions onNATO-member Turkey, which has already purchased the air defense systemdespite the US threats of sanction.
