The S-400 is a lethal anti-missile weapon system from Russia. It is highly regarded by Military experts and is capable of targeting incoming missiles from multiple locations almost 300 km away. China and Turkey have purchased this missile system. India is also taking steps to purchase the S-400 and Indian government headed by Modi is working at top speed to ink the contract. The Times of India has reported that this will be a multi-billion dollar deal. The deal is likely to irk the United States of America.

India's plan

India plans to buy four missile systems to defend its cities against any attack.

The system is mobile and can easily be shifted from place to place. By buying the weapon system, India runs the risk of contravening the American embargo on buying weapons from Russia. It is most likely that the Modi government will ignore American objections to the sale of the missiles

The relations between America (since the swearing in of Trump) and India have been on a downslide. The most recent cancellation of the two+two meeting to discuss the strategic cooperation between India and the USA has not been liked by India. The reason for the cancellation as "unavoidable circumstances" is highly ambiguous.. it does, however, show that the Donald Trump administration doesn't have the same perception of India as a security partner as during the time of Obama.

Meeting alternative suggested

To be fair to the Americans, they had suggested a meeting between the Indian Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and general Mattis in Washington as a substitute. The Quint has brought out that this invitation was rejected by the Indian government

The Indian government is going full speed to finalize the contract with Russia.

The proposal has been cleared by the Defence Minister and now awaits the approval of the cabinet committee on political affairs which is headed by the PM. Most likely the deal will be operational before the Putin and Modi meeting in October this year.

The weapon system deal

This deal worth billions of dollars, is also a followup to the agreement to maintain the vast arsenal of Russian weapons with the Indian armed forces, piled up over a period of six decades.

America and Donald Trump have already made it clear to all countries that they will have to fall in line with the United States economic thinking, otherwise, the Americans will retaliate. If India buys the S-400 Missile system it will affect Indo-US relations. Unlike many the nations, India is too big, both as a nation and military power to say "yes sir, yes sir, three bags full" to the Americans