India may purchase five more squadrons of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia. The value of the proposal is estimated at more than $5.8 billion. According to IDRW, the new systems could strengthen air defense on the Chinese border amid the deployment of Chinese J-20 fighters near the Indian side of Tibet.
According to IDRW author Raunak Kunde, the new systems could be deployed along the northern border — from Ladakh through Sikkim to Arunachal Pradesh. In his assessment, the existing S-400 grouping does not provide direct coverage for a number of border areas.
The next five S-400 units will focus on the northern border from Ladakh through Sikkim to Arunachal Pradesh, which the Chinese Air Force may want to exploit due to the lack of long-range air defense systems in these areas.
The Indian Ministry of Defence is evaluating the technical and commercial parameters of the Russian proposal. India's Defence Acquisition Council approved the purchase of five more S-400 squadrons in March 2026.
According to IDRW, the contract could be signed in late 2026 or early 2027. The official deployment scheme for the future systems has not yet been disclosed.