The Indian Air Force (IAF) completed the pre-dispatch inspection of the India-bound fourth S-400 air defence system in Russia on April 18, and the system was shipped to India last week, according to a media report.
The Hindustan Times report said the long‑range surface‑to‑air missile system is expected to arrive in India in the middle of May.
The fifth system, meanwhile, is expected to arrive in November.
These were part of the five S‑400 regiments for which India had signed a $5.4–5.5 billion deal with Russia in October 2018.
S-40, which has the operational capability to provide continuous and effective air defence to a very large area, played a major role in foiling the designs of Pakistan's armed forces during Operation Sindoor in May 2025. The fourth system is expected to arrive in India a few days after the first anniversary of the operation. Reports suggest that the plan is to deploy the system in the Rajasthan sector to boost the air defence against Pakistan.
On April 16, Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov had said the delivery of the remaining two systems under the $5.4–5.5 billion deal is ongoing. "There are some batches that are yet to be delivered. We have a mutually agreed timetable and schedule for these deliveries. They will be completed very soon," he had told WION TV during an interview.
In March, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of five more S-400 systems from Russia.
India had also reportedly decided to procure 280 short-and long-range S-400 missiles to replenish the stock used during Operation Sindoor.
S-400 Triumf is touted to be one of the world’s most advanced surface-to-air missile systems. Yan Novikov, CEO of Almaz-Antey Group, the Russian state-owned manufacturer that develops and produces the air defence system, had said the system's operational range and capacity to utilise different missile types make the Triumf the most powerful air defence system.