Russia In Talks To Supply More S-400 Missile Systems, Cheaper Oil To India : Report

3rd September 2025 at 11:39 AM

2 minutes read

India and Russia are negotiating additional supplies of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, a senior Russian defence export official told Russian state news agency TASS.

New Delhi : India and Russia are negotiating additional supplies of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, a senior Russian defence export official told Russian state news agency TASS. New Delhi signed a $5.5 billion agreement with Moscow in 2018 for five S-400 Triumf systems, meant to counter China’s growing military power.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in remarks published on Wednesday that India did not bow to the demands by the United States to stop purchasing resources from Russia and that Moscow appreciated that. Despite growing purchases from France and Israel, Russia remains India’s top arms supplier. Between 2020 and 2024, it accounted for 36 per cent of India’s weapons imports, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

These include licensed production of T-90 tanks and Su-30 MKI fighter jets, the supply of MiG-29 and Kamov helicopters, the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya (formerly Admiral Gorshkov), production of AK-203 rifles in India, and the BrahMos missile programme. During Operation Sindoor in May, the Indian Armed Forces successfully retaliated against Pakistan.

Indian refiners have resumed purchases of Russian oil after a brief pause in early August, and the lower prices for Urals are expected to drive strong demand. Last week, Urals was offered at a discount of about $2.50 per barrel, wider than the $1 discount seen in July, while US crude, recently purchased by some Indian refiners, came at a $3 premium.

From August 27 to September 1, Indian state-run and private refiners received about 11.4 million barrels of Russian crude, according to Kpler data and port agent reports, Bloomberg reported. Modi and Putin’s bonhomie was on full display at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China. The two leaders shared warm moments, including a heartfelt hug and a ride together in Putin’s official Aurus Senat limousine to their bilateral meeting.

The video of Modi and Putin holding hands and walking towards Xi, and then all three forming a close circle as close friends to engage in some conversation, went viral on social media. In his address, Modi spoke elaborately on the need for unity to combat the scourge of terrorism and even tried to corner Pakistan for its relentless support of cross-border terrorist activities.