NEW DELHI, January 17. /TASS/. India has begun work on deploying the first regiment of S-400 ‘Triumf’ surface-to-air missile systems purchased from Russia, The Hindustan Times reported on Monday, citing sources.

The first S-400 unit will be made operational in early April. Overall, India intends to deploy five S-400 regiments purchased from Russia, it said.

"All the five units of the S-400 system, which can take down a hostile aircraft or missile at a range between 40 km and 400 km, are expected to be operational by next year, the paper said.

All the five units of the S-400 missile systems will be deployed to tackle the threat from China, it said.

It was earlier reported that the first regiment of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems would be deployed on the territory of India’s western Punjab state bordering on Pakistan.

New Delhi announced its intention to purchase Russia-made S-400 air defense systems in 2015. A $5.43 bln contract on the delivery of five regiment sets of S-400 ‘Triumf’ anti-aircraft missile systems was signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India in October 2018.

The deal infuriated Washington, which is threatening to impose sanctions on the states acquiring weapons and military hardware from Russia under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) adopted in 2017.

S-400 missile system

Russia’s S-400 ‘Triumf’ (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) is the latest long- and medium-range surface-to-air missile system that went into service in 2007. It is designed to destroy strategic and tactical aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles and hypersonic weapons and can also be used against ground installations. The S-400 can engage targets at a distance of up to 400 km and at an altitude of up to 30 km under intensive enemy fire and jamming.