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What is the S-400 Missile System?
The development of the S-400 Triumf, a surface-to-air missile system (SAM) by Russia, started in the 1990s. However, the collapse of the then Soviet Union caused some delays and its testing was done in the final years of the decade.
The S-400, successor to the S-200 and the S-300 missile system, is often labelled by various defence journals and military experts as "one of the most advanced defence systems in the world".
The S-400 first came into service in 2007 with the First Air Defense Corps to protect Moscow.
The S-400 has four different types of missiles and having ranges between 40 km, 100 km, 200 km and 400 km.
The S-400 is capable of taking down multiple aerial targets including stealth fighter jets, bombers, cruise and ballistic missiles, and even unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
How many S-400 's have India ordered?
Talks for the purchase of five S-400 missile systems was initiated in 2016 between India and Russia on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. Despite threats of US sanctions, India proceeded to seal the over $5 billion deal with Russia officially in October 2018. It was reported that The S-400’s will be delivered over a period of five years.
How important is S-400 missile system to India's defence arsenal?
At a time when China is increasingly threatening India's border, especially in Ladakh, the S-400 missile system is a strong defence, military experts opine.
The S-400 also acts as an extra layer of protection to India's western borders, particularly from Pakistan and its militant insurgency threats.
Over the years, senior Indian Air Force officials have also expressed positively on the capability of the S-400.
In 2018, former Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa had said that the S-400 procurement is “a booster dose for the IAF”.
Why is the S-400’s acquisition making the US unhappy?
Given the S-400’s superior capabilities, defence experts feel that the US is naturally keen to control the widespread sale of the S-400 missile systems. The US government has been enacting sanctions against nations who have bought it through the 'Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act' (CAATSA).
As the name suggests, CAATSA is a federal law that sanctions Iran, North Korea and Russia, and any country engaging in bilateral trade with these countries on the two areas of intelligence and defence. Most recently, in December 2020, the US stopped the sale of its advanced aircraft F-35 to Turkey as the latter got into a deal with Russia to purchase the S-400.
Will the US impose sanctions on India?
There have been talks of sanctions against India by the US government ever since the former got involved in the S-400 deal with Russia and there are many ways the US could respond, foreign affairs analysts say.
One is that it could delay the sanctions a few months for now but keep the CAATSA threat open and later decide on what to do next. However, some members of the US Senate have asked the Joe Biden administration to grant India a "waiver" as both the nations face a common threat from China's growing influence.
Earlier, in October 2021, the US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman had expressed her hope that the US and India will be able to resolve the differences amicably. However, she added that the move on the sanctions is ultimately in the hands of President Joe Biden.
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