 "S-400 Triumf, missile")
When Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa addresses a parade on Monday at Hindon to mark the 86th anniversary of the Indian Air Force (IAF), he will welcome the $5.43-billion purchase last week of five regiments of S-400 surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) from Russian air defence specialist, Almaz-Antey.
When the long-range S-400 enters service in 2021, it will greatly enhance the IAF’s capability for national air defence – its primary responsibility to detect, intercept and shoot down enemy aircraft attempting to penetrate Indian airspace. Given the IAF’s depleted numbers – it has just 31 fighter squadrons against an authorized 42 – the
