New Delhi — August 2025 — In a move seen by analysts as a sign of growing insecurity along its western and northern borders, India has reportedly fast-tracked negotiations with Russia to procure additional S-400 “Triumf” air defence systems and explore an unprecedented order for the next-generation S-500 “Prometheus”.
According to diplomatic sources in Moscow, the talks were initiated shortly after Operation Sindoor, in which India claims its S-400 system scored long-range kills against Pakistani aircraft — a claim Pakistani defence experts have dismissed as exaggerated propaganda.
Defence insiders say New Delhi is pushing for two additional S-400 batteries to supplement the five already ordered, while simultaneously lobbying for priority access to the S-500 despite the system being in limited service even within Russia. Analysts view this as an act of desperation, reflecting India’s fear of Pakistan’s evolving missile and airpower capabilities, including indigenous counter-measure systems under development.
“The Indians are scrambling,” said one Islamabad-based security analyst. “The very fact that they’re begging Moscow for the S-500 — a weapon not even widely deployed in the Russian military — shows how rattled they are by Pakistan’s advancements in stand-off strike and hypersonic missile programmes.”
The reported deal is also raising eyebrows internationally. Critics question whether India’s growing reliance on Russian hardware is compatible with its deepening defence ties with the United States and other Western nations, potentially placing it in a diplomatic bind.
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Meanwhile, Pakistani military observers note that no air-defence umbrella is foolproof. “History has shown that for every shield, there is a sharper sword,” said a retired Pakistan Air Force officer, hinting that counter-tactics against the S-400 and S-500 are already being tested.
If finalised, the procurement would make India one of the first countries outside Russia to operate both the S-400 and S-500 systems — an achievement some in New Delhi are touting as a symbol of military prestige, but which others see as an admission of vulnerability in the face of Pakistan’s rising strategic edge.