Sukhoi-30 Overhaul, R-37 Missiles, S-400 And More: 10 Key Agendas Of The Modi-Putin Talks | World News

New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India paved the way for many important defense agreements between the two countries. A key project highlighted is the second phase of the Sukhoi-30 fighter jet overhaul, a project designed to modernize the aircraft and increase its operational capabilities.

Discussions are also expected to be held on equipping the Indian Air Force (IAF) with R-37 missiles that can target enemies more than 200 kilometers away. Both sides will review long-range air defense systems, including S-400 and S-500, as well as very short-range systems such as Verba, to strengthen India’s air security.

Ten Key Points of the Defense Agreement

According to sources, the talks planned to start in the next few hours will also include the purchase of around 280 S-400 air defense missiles. These systems were successfully used against Pakistani fighter jets and reconnaissance aircraft during Operation Sindoor in May earlier this year.

Sources speaking to ANI revealed that the Sukhoi-30 second revision project will be carried out jointly with Russia. “The aim is to improve the capabilities of the Sukhoi-30MKI fleet and upgrade them to completely new standards,” a source said.

Under this plan, approximately 100 of the 272 Sukhoi-30 jets in India’s inventory will be modernized. This initiative is separate from the domestic improvements being undertaken by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on 84 jets.

Another important topic of discussion is the purchase of more than 300 R-37 air-to-air missiles. These weapons are designed to hit targets more than 200 kilometers away, enhancing the IAF’s long-range strike capability, especially against adversaries equipped with Chinese and American beyond-visual (BVR) missiles.

Both countries are likely to explore lighter missile variants such as the BrahMos NG (Next Generation). These missiles can be integrated into various Indian warplanes and are capable of hitting targets more than 400 kilometers away. Long-range versions with three times the reach of current systems are also on the agenda.

Sources state that the talks will also include cooperation in the development of hypersonic missiles and long-range air-to-air missiles. A defense analyst commented, “The joint development of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles has proven to be one of the most successful defense collaborations between India and Russia.”

The S-400 Triumf air defense system agreement, which includes 280 missiles, may also receive India’s approval during the talks. The missiles proved highly effective in May operations against targets in Pakistan.

India has made significant progress in equipping its Navy and other defense services with BrahMos missiles. The system has already been successfully exported to the Philippines and further sales are expected across Asia.

With its supersonic speed, the BrahMos missile remains extremely difficult to intercept by adversaries, as seen in operations against Pakistan in May; This missile successfully hit the intended targets without any problems.

As India and Russia deepen their defense cooperation, these agreements are expected to significantly increase India’s military capabilities and strengthen strategic ties between the two long-standing partners.