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Russia, India to sign deal on S-400 air defence systems this week: Kremlin

Moscow is negotiating to sell S-400 long-range surface-to-air missiles to India for months

Afp October 02, 2018

this handout picture obtained from the russian defence ministry 039 s official facebook page on november 26 2015 shows russia 039 s s 400 air defence missile systems at the hmeimim airbase in the syrian province of latakia photo afp

This handout picture obtained from the Russian Defence Ministry's official Facebook page on November 26, 2015 shows Russia's S-400 air defence missile systems at the Hmeimim airbase in the Syrian province of Latakia.. PHOTO AFP

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin will oversee the signing of a $5 billion deal this week to supply Delhi with S-400 air defence systems, a top Kremlin aide said on Tuesday ahead of Putin's trip to India.

"The president is leaving for India on October 4," Putin's top foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov told reporters.

"The key feature of this visit will be the signing of the agreement to deliver S-400 air defence systems," he said. "The value of the contract will be more than $5 billion."

Russia to supply India with S-400 missile system worth $6 billion

Moscow has been negotiating to sell the S-400 long-range surface-to-air missiles to India for months.

The sale has irked India's defence partner Washington, which has wanted to wean India off Russian technology, and a senior Pentagon official said in August that sanctions against India would come under consideration if its purchase goes through.

India has signalled it will ask Washington for a special waiver from sanctions, though a US official last week said there is no guarantee it would do so.