Is Russia delaying supply of S-400 missile defence system to India due to China's pressure? Report claims...

Russia has repeatedly delayed the supply of the two remaining squadrons of its S-400 missile defence system to India, which were part of a deal signed between the two countries in 2018. The delays have mainly been attributed to Russia's own military requirements owing to its ongoing war with neighbouring Ukraine, which erupted more than three years ago in 2022. But some experts are now speculating that the continuing delays could partially be due to pressure from India's adversary China.

How is China involved?
According to a recent report by ThePrint, Almaz-Antey, the Russian company that makes the S-400 air defence system, has set up a drone manufacturing plant in China and is likely using it as a means to access chips and other sensitive technologies. This aids Russia in keeping its production running but also increases the country's reliance on China -- a worrying trend for India. Now, some defence experts believe that Russia's delays in dispatching the S-400 systems could be influenced by the authorities in Beijing. With this, China may be attempting to seek a strategic advantage over India by depriving New Delhi of defence advancements.

What is the S-400 system?
The S-400 Triumf is a Russian long-range air defence system designed to protect against enemy aircraft as well as cruise and ballistic missiles. Launched in 2007, it can detect targets up to 600 kilometers away and engage them up to 400 km, tracking multiple threats at the same time. Its successor, the S-500 Prometheus, is designed to counter more advanced threats such as intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, and even low-Earth orbit satellites. Experts say that in view of the recent India-Pakistan conflict and the delays in Russian supplies, India should focus on reducing its dependence on foreign defence expertise and work on becoming more self-reliant.