India-Russia Defence Talks: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov in Qingdao, China, on the side of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) defence ministers’ meet. Their discussions were focused on fast-tracking important military projects and boosting India’s air power. They talked about modernising India’s Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets, producing air-to-air missiles inside the country, and making sure Russia delivers the two remaining S-400 missile system batches without more delays.
India is using around 260 Su-30MKI jets right now. These jets are a major part of the Indian Air Force’s strength, and the government plans to upgrade them with better radars, electronic warfare tools, and new air-to-air missiles. These improvements are very important for India to keep its air force strong.
The jets played a key role in Operation Sindoor last month, which makes the upgrade even more urgent now. Defence officials said the threat situation on both western and eastern borders has increased, so India needs to speed up these modernisation projects.
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The two ministers also spoke about terrorism and recent security issues. The Russian side gave strong support to India after the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22. Defence Minister Belousov said the attack was “horrendous and cowardly” and said Russia stood with India during this tough time.
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India had signed a $5.43 billion deal with Russia in 2018 to buy five squadrons of the S-400 air defence system. These powerful systems are important to stop enemy aircraft or missiles. India was supposed to get all five by the end of 2023, but the Russia-Ukraine war caused delays. So far, India has received and deployed three squadrons one in the northwest and another in the east to deal with threats from China and Pakistan.
In the latest talks, Russia promised that the fourth squadron will reach India in 2026 and the fifth in 2027. according to ET, a senior Indian defence source said, “As per Russia, the fourth squadron will now come next year, and the fifth in 2027.” India wants these systems fast because they help defend major areas like Delhi, military bases, and other important zones.
India is also working on building its own defence systems. DRDO is developing a new long-range air defence system under Project Kusha. It will be able to stop air threats from as far as 350 km away. In September 2023, the Defence Ministry gave approval to buy five squadrons of Project Kusha at a cost of ₹21,700 crore. India wants to start using it between 2028 and 2029. This project is seen as an answer to problems with foreign supplies and helps India become more independent in defence.
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Both ministers talked about growing military cooperation. They agreed to work faster on things like missile production, upgrades of air platforms, and delivery of important military items.
The Indian ministry said clearly, “Supply of S-400 systems, Su-30MKI upgrades, and procurement of critical military hardware in expeditious timeframes were some of the key takeaways of the meeting.”
They also said, “It was one of the most important recent meetings between the leaders of the two nations, being held in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor and the consequent necessity of augmenting defence production, especially in critical items such as air defence, air-to-air missiles, modern capabilities, and upgrades of air platforms.”
Russia praised the long friendship between the two countries in defence. Belousov said he wants to continue working closely with India and keep strengthening military ties. The officials who attended the meeting said this was an important moment in the partnership. He expressed solidarity with India during the Pahalgam Attack and called the act “horrendous and cowardly”.
