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The S-400 provided India with regional air dominance. Ahead of Putin’s visit, New Delhi is now evaluating the S-500’s far greater reach and strategic capabilities.
Russian soldiers sit in the cabin of S-400 missile air defense systems in central Moscow, Russia. (Reuters/File)
with the Russian President Vladimir Putin is landing in New Delhi In a high-risk move, India is eyeing not only expanding its S-400 regiment but also the possibility of acquiring and co-producing Russia’s far more advanced S-500 Prometheus. After S-400 Decisive performance in Operation SindoorThe question now is not whether it worked, but whether its successor can take India’s air and missile defense into near-space.
Why does this comparison matter now?
Putin will visit India on December 4-5, his first visit since the start of the Ukraine war. Defense cooperation will dominate the agenda and is expected to be one of the focal points of discussion India’s S-400 air-defense units expanded and evaluating the next generation S-500 system. Timing is of the essence: The S-400 Triumph proved itself in live combat during Operation Sindoor, forcing Pakistani aircraft and missile platforms to retreat and giving India a clear strategic advantage.
With China’s rapid modernization and Pakistan’s reliance on drones and standoff weapons, India is examining whether s 500The system, designed for ballistic, hypersonic and even low-Earth-orbit threats, could create a new top layer of security in the country.
What has the S-400 already achieved for India
The S-400, also known to NATO troops as the SA-21 Growler, is a long-range surface-to-air missile system developed by Russia’s Almaz Central Design Bureau. Defense experts consider it more dangerous than the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System (THAAD) developed by America.
India bought five S-400 regiments from Russia in 2018 under a deal worth $5.43 billion. Each regiment consists of 16 launcher vehicles divided into two batteries, activated through mobile command-and-control and radar units.
The system entered operational service in India in 2021, but its acquisition raised concerns in Washington due to the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
A 2017 US law mandates sanctions on countries buying major defense hardware from Russia, Iran or North Korea, and India’s S-400 deal technically falls under its ambit. New Delhi said the S-400 was essential for the security of Indian airspace and beyond extended talksIn January 2022, the US House of Representatives passed an amendment granting exemption to India, paving the way for unhindered inclusion of this system.
The S-400, known as Sudarshan Chakra in India, demonstrated its capability in real time during Operation Sindoor in May this year. It detected, tracked and shot down several Pakistani aircraft hundreds of kilometers inside Pakistani airspace. Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh later confirmed that India had shot down five Pakistani fighter planes with the S-400, calling it a “game-changer”. He said the system prevented Pakistan from deploying long-range glide bombs because their aircraft “are not capable of penetrating the system”.
according to ANIThe S-400 also recorded a rare incident when it collided with an aircraft 300 kilometers away.
The system’s extensive capabilities make this performance no surprise. It can detect and attack aircraft, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and drones at a range of up to 400 kilometers and at an altitude of up to 30 kilometers. In trials, it recorded an 80 percent kill rate against enemy aircraft. It can track 160 targets and engage 72 simultaneously, and can be deployed in under five minutes, which is faster than comparable Western systems.
Its integration into India’s layered air defense grid has also been seamless, working with the indigenous Akash batteries and Israeli MRSAM and Spyder systems.
Why does India now want more S-400 regiments?
Following its operational success, India is already seeking five more S-400 regiments. The system provides India with regional air dominance, a shield spanning sectors and theatres. It has repeatedly proven that Pakistani aircraft struggle to operate within its detection and engagement range.
quoting a defense source firstpost Said, “The S-400 performed very well in Operation Vermillion, and has a huge deterrent and punitive capability. Yes, we are considering purchasing the same or more S-500s.”
But even as expansion talks continue, the Russian “main path” is the far superior S-500.
How the S-500 Prometheus changes the game
Unlike the S-400, the S-500 Prometheus is designed to protect not only high-altitude airspace but also the near-space layer. It targets fast and high-flying threats, including long-range ballistic missiles, hypersonic glide vehicles, and select low-Earth-orbit (LEO) objects.
Russia entered service with limited S-500 units in 2021, and production volumes remain small. Any exports to India would be politically important. But Moscow is pitching the S-500 to India not as a simple purchase, but as a co-production arrangement with Russia’s state-owned air and space-defense group Almaz Antey, which designs and builds the S-300, S-400 and S-500 systems, allowing parts to be manufactured domestically.
Its technological leap is quite big. The S-500 can intercept threats at ranges of approximately 500–600 kilometers and engage targets deep into the near-space layer at an altitude of 180–200 kilometers. In contrast, the S-400 has a range of about 30 kilometers.
Both systems also use different missile families. The S-400 relies on 48N6 and 40N6 missiles with proximity-fused warheads. The S-500 features the 77N6-N and 77N6-N1 kinetic “hit-to-kill” interceptors designed to neutralize ballistic payloads and hypersonic units that can survive proximity blasts. This technology is essential at extreme speeds and altitudes, although its real-world effectiveness in operational conditions remains classified.
according to firstpost According to the report, S-500’s 77N6-N1 interceptor can also threaten China’s J-20 fighter aircraft.
Sensors, battle management and space factors
The S-400 uses panoramic and multifunction radars to maintain layered situational awareness. The S-500 features next-generation tracking, broad frequency coverage and fast response time, indicating the interceptor against multiple high-velocity targets simultaneously – critical in counter-hypersonic scenarios.
The most debated element is its reported ability to engage some LEO objects. Analysts stress that independent verification is limited, but if proven, it gives India a restricted counter-space edge that no existing system in its arsenal can provide.
Why is India seriously considering S-500?
India’s security environment is becoming tougher. Pakistan relies on standoff weapons and drones, while China is modernizing its missile, satellite and hypersonic programs. The S-400 has already exposed Pakistan’s weaknesses. The S-500 will significantly increase this gap by providing cover deep inside hostile airspace, overcoming threats traveling at extreme speeds, protecting India’s cities and strategic infrastructure at unprecedented altitudes, and potentially adding limited counter-space deterrence.
According to a report by moncontrolThe S-500 could form the top layer of India’s air defense network, the S-400 could form the middle layer and other systems could deal with low-altitude threats.
Cost, Integration and Constraints Puzzle
The S-500 is far more expensive than the S-400 and demands complex maintenance, specialized training, and long-term servicing agreements. Integrating it into India’s command-and-control network will also be demanding.
Export numbers are extremely limited, and political negotiations will take a long time. But its capabilities are designed for the next era of warfare.
So, which system makes India almost untouchable?
The S-400 has already changed India’s air-power balance, forcing adversaries to remain out of range and closing off Pakistan’s offensive options during Operation Vermillion. It is a proven, lethal and indispensable theatre-level shield.
But the S-500 promises something entirely different: protection not only of the skies but also of the near-space region. It selects aircraft, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic glide vehicles, and potentially low-Earth-orbit objects. It transforms regional dominance into national and continental level deterrence.
In short, the S-400 makes it difficult to attack India. The S-500 is designed to make India almost untouchable. Whether India secures a deal for the S-500 during Putin’s visit remains to be seen.
About the author
Karishma Jain, Deputy Editor in Chief, News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a wide range of topics including Indian politics and policy, culture and arts, technology and social change. Follow…read more
December 03, 2025, 11:42 IST
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