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India eyes Russian S-500 air defense systems

S-500 is "a strategic defensive asset of Russia and its export demands permission of the top national leadership," the portal said

NEW DELHI, June 30. /TASS/. India has successfully engaged Russian S-400 Triumph air defense systems in the operation against terrorist targets in Pakistan and is now eyeing the latest S-500 Prometei systems, the Indian Defense News portal reported.

It said S-400 proved effective in combat conditions and intercepted targets at record distances. The engagement experience made Indian experts discuss the acquisition of S-500. India is interested in it also due to the changing situation in the region on the background of reports about the delivery to Pakistan of J-35A stealth fighter jets.

S-500 is "a strategic defensive asset of Russia and its export demands permission of the top national leadership," the portal said. However, a deal is not ruled out due to long-standing and trustworthy cooperation between Russia and India in the defense sphere.

S-500 of Almaz-Antey destroys all existing and prospective aerospace targets in the whole range of altitudes and speeds.

India has purchased five battalions of S-400 worth 5.43 billion dollars. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the system and said the air defense was the main factor in the operation against Pakistan. Last week the Indian and Russian defense ministers discussed the purchase of new S-400, as well as modernization of Su-30MKI fighter jets and procurement of critically important military hardware in a compressed time.

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