India and Russia are moving toward a significant expansion of New Delhi’s air-defense capabilities, with discussions underway to procure five additional regiments of the S-400 ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit on 5 December.

The new package, if finalized, would bring India’s total S-400 inventory to ten regiments, solidifying Russia’s position as India’s primary long-range air defense supplier despite expanding US engagement in the region.

New Delhi seeks more S-400s after operational success

Indian defense sources told ThePrint that the S-400 demonstrated “exceptional” performance during the 88-hour confrontation with Pakistan, where officials say the system reportedly deterred Pakistani Air Force aircraft, including J-10 fighters.

According to the sources, the S-400 not only executed its longest recorded engagement during the operation, but also validated its “shoot-and-scoot” mobility, rapid repositioning to evade counterstrikes.

India is still awaiting delivery of the last two regiments from its 2018, $5 billion order, and is evaluating whether the next batch would be acquired through a direct procurement or localized production under the Make in India framework.

S-500 on the radar, but no immediate procurement

Indian officials acknowledged interest in the Russian S-500 system, Moscow’s newest long-range air and missile defense platform, but emphasized that Russia’s own induction process remains in early stages.

“The S-400 is what we are looking at. The S-500 is meant to be better,” one source noted, signaling that India does not plan to pursue S-500 acquisitions in the near term as it would take longer to deliver.

Read more: India successfully tests first hypersonic missile

No movement on Su-57 fighter jet procurement

Despite earlier speculation, New Delhi is not preparing to sign any Su-57 deal during Putin’s visit. While the Indian Air Force continues to study next-generation fighter options, officials said there are “no firm discussions” with Moscow at this stage.

Sources clarified that the F-35 remains the only fully operational fifth-generation fighter available globally. Although Washington has not offered the jet to India, “it has neither formally refused,” one official said. Parallel assessments include programs underway in South Korea and Europe.

India’s long-term path remains tied to its indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), expected to fly in 2032 and enter service around 2035, leaving a capability gap that New Delhi may seek to bridge with limited interim acquisitions.

Long-range missiles make the Su-57 attractive

While stealth features are not the IAF’s primary concern, Russia’s proposal to supply or co-produce Su-57s remains under study due to the aircraft’s payload and long-range strike profile.

Key to India’s interest is the R-37M air-to-air missile, exceeding 300 km in range, one of the world’s longest. India also intends to integrate the R-37M into its upgraded Su-30 MKI fleet.

The Su-57 also carries the Kinzhal hypersonic air-launched ballistic missile, expanding deep-strike options. However, India is not seeking to acquire the Kinzhal, as none of its current aircraft are configured to deploy it.

Su-30 MKI upgrade takes priority

While Moscow’s Su-57 and its advanced weapons remain off the immediate agenda, India and Russia are progressing with plans to upgrade the Su-30 MKI, the backbone of India’s combat aviation. Technical discussions are ongoing between both sides to finalize modalities for the modernization package.

Read more: India, Russia discuss expedited S-400 deliveries, Su-30 MKI upgrades