Will Pakistan’s ‘Closest Ally’ Hand Its Russian Air Defence System To India? Turkey Breaks Silence | World News
New Delhi: Rumors about Türkiye’s S-400 air defense system have been increasing for days. Many of these allegations revolved around the idea that Ankara was weighing a major decision that could potentially create a path for the Russian-made system to reach India.
The noise increased because Türkiye was under pressure. If Ankara wants to return to the US-led F-35 program, it must give up the S-400 system. This situation, determined by Washington years ago, still hangs in the air.
As a result, rumors quickly spread that Türkiye might bypass the system to reduce tensions with the United States and that India could be a possible buyer.
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However, Ankara has now stepped in with a clear answer.
Türkiye’s Outright Denial
On Tuesday, December 9, senior military officials in Türkiye ended all speculation. Citing senior defense sources, Turkiye Today said that reports about the transfer of S-400s to any third country, including India, are unfounded.
A senior official said, “Türkiye does not intend to transfer the S-400 to any country under any circumstances.”
This means that the system will continue to remain where it is.
How Did the S-400 Discussion Start?
The roots of this saga date back to 2017, when Türkiye signed an agreement with Moscow to purchase the S-400. The first batch arrived in 2019. That moment changed Ankara’s ties with Washington almost overnight.
The United States insisted that a NATO member could not operate an advanced Russian missile system; because this system could reveal sensitive data about the American F-35 stealth jet, which could eventually reach Moscow.
The reaction was swift.
Türkiye was excluded from the F-35 program despite paying $1.4 billion within the scope of the purchase plan. That money has still not been returned.
Can India Benefit?
Many international reports suggested that Türkiye could give the S-400 to the United States or a friendly third country for research. India’s name was mentioned in these reports because New Delhi was already operating Russian S-400 units.
However, defense analysts familiar with the systems believe that India will gain nothing from the Turkish version. The reason lies in how Moscow handled the two agreements.
Russia has supplied the exportable version of the S-400 to Türkiye. Moscow never fully trusted NATO with its core radar codes and kept sensitive configurations in the background.
On the other hand, India received the same S-400 configuration used by the Russian army. In practical terms, this means that Türkiye’s system is not only different but also less capable than what India currently has.
So even if Ankara wanted to leave, it would not add value to India’s air defense network.
What Is Ankara Signaling Now?
Türkiye’s latest statement made it clear that the S-400 will not be transferred to India, the USA or anyone else, and will remain in its own arsenal.
The long-running friction between Washington and Ankara over the F-35 will continue to determine the next chapter of this story.
