TYUMEN (TASS): India has the potential to acquire the S-500 Prometheus anti-aircraft missile system (SAM) once Russian troops are equipped with it. This was announced to reporters on the sidelines of the Tyumen Oil and Gas Forum (TNF 2021) by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Yuri Borisov.
“Potentially, yes <…> But there are no agreements in practical plans yet. And this is a common practice: until we saturate our native armed forces, we do not sell abroad,” Borisov said, answering the question whether India can become the first the buyer of the S-500 air defense system.
He stressed that after the saturation of its armed forces, Russia will be able to consider the sale of the S-500 to India, if there is a corresponding application. “But this is not a prospect for the next few years,” he said.
According to Borisov, India is the largest exporter of Russian weapons. “Sometimes we sell to India what we don’t sell to other countries, because we have no political or territorial claims between ourselves or conflict situations. Our cooperation has been tested over the years,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Borisov recalled that licensed production of T-90 tanks and Su-30MKI aircraft has been organized in India. “We have a joint production of BrahMos missiles. In addition to simply selling weapons, we also share technologies with India. Negotiations are underway on the joint production of Ka-226T helicopters,” he said, stressing that the characteristics of the weapons supplied for export should not exceed Russian ones.
About the S-500 air defense system
On July 20, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the S-500 performed test combat firing at a high-speed ballistic target at the Kapustin Yar training ground. It was noted that the tests confirmed the specified tactical and technical characteristics. The S-500, produced by the Almaz-Antey concern, is designed to defeat all available and prospective aerospace attack weapons of a potential enemy in the entire range of altitudes and speeds. Training of specialists for work on it has been conducted since 2017. The S-500 will replace the S-400 Triumph air defense system.
TNF 2021 is taking place at the West Siberian Innovation Center in Tyumen from 14 to 16 September. It includes more than 30 events – plenary sessions, technology days and days of the supplier of energy companies, round tables, business breakfasts, master classes, conferences, online platforms. The organizers are the government of the Russian Federation and the government of the Tyumen region, TASS is the general information partner of the forum.
