The Delivery Of The S-400 Defence Missile System Is Going Well: Russian envoy

The S-400 Triumf air defence missile system is progressing smoothly and on schedule, according to Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov, who spoke on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Russian-Indian diplomatic relations.

“The delivery of the one-of-a-kind S-400 systems is continuing according to plan,” Alipov stated. In October 2018, India signed a USD 5.43 billion agreement with Russia for five squadrons of S-400s.

In an introduction to a special edition of Russia Digest magazine, he made these observations.

According to Alipov, India-multifaceted Russia’s collaboration is one of the world’s most complex, and the two nations have succeeded in “creating true friendship and mutual trust,” as evidenced by countless proud achievements.

The remarks also coincide with Russia’s National Day, June 12, according to the Russian Embassy in India’s website.

Both the 75th anniversary of India’s independence and the 75th anniversary of Russian-Indian diplomatic relations, which were established in April 1947, will be celebrated in 2022.

Alipov wrote about the industrialization and construction of power plants in India with Soviet assistance in the 1950s and 1960s, the establishment of the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay in 1958, the groundbreaking Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation of 1971, the flight of the first Indian cosmonaut on the “Soyuz T-11” spacecraft in 1984, and the Declaration of Strategic Partnership of the two countries.

“Today’s Russia-India multidimensional cooperation is one of the world’s most elaborate,” he wrote, citing regular meetings of the two intergovernmental commissions, sector-specific ministerial, security advisors’, and senior officials dialogue, foreign office consultations, and global coordination, as well as diverse business, cultural, and people-to-people contacts.

The Ambassador emphasised that Russia and India were among the first countries in the world to start holding annual bilateral summits. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the XXI Summit in New Delhi in December 2021 was conducted in person, and the adoption of the “2+2” ministerial structure became yet another milestone, he noted.

“Our essential opinions on key issues remain similar or same, emphasising the importance of the UN’s central role in promoting equitable and equal multipolarity while opposing unilateral and aggressive tactics. We are continuing to work closely on the BRICS agenda, as well as the G20 and the SCO, which India will chair in 2022-2023 “He went on to say more.

In his prologue to the magazine, Alipov stated, “Russia and India continue to effectively undertake major programmes, which make our partnership unrivalled.”

The Ambassador went into great detail regarding these initiatives in his article. The development of the Kudankulam nuclear power station, as well as advanced defence ties under the “Make in India” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat” programmes, include the production of AK-203 rifles, combat aviation, and main battle tanks, as well as frigates, submarines, Brahmos, and other missiles. Alipov noted that the delivery of the one-of-a-kind S-400 systems is going according to plan.

The Russian Ambassador also discussed bilateral trade and cooperation between the two governments in the foreword.

“This favourable trend is complemented in 2022 by greater collaboration in energy and fertilisers,” he added, noting that bilateral trade volumes climbed by more than 45 percent in 2021.

Furthermore, he added that the Far Eastern and Arctic dimensions, as well as the realisation of the North-South transit corridor project and the early conclusion of the Eurasian Economic Union-India Free Trade Agreement, are given top importance.

“Along with ongoing initiatives in connection, diamond processing, forestry, healthcare and pharma sector, tourism, railways, metallurgy, civil aviation, shipbuilding, oil refinery and petrochemicals, there are lots of fresh chances for Indian businesses in the Russian market,” he added.

Russia “truly cherishes equitable and respectful relations” with India, according to Alipov. Continuing, the Ambassador stated that India-Russia collaboration serves as a defining factor for world peace, stability, and long-term prosperity.

“We are confident in the future of our bilateral ties and are ready to move forward in exploiting their potential and exploring new vistas for the benefit of the people of our two friendly nations,” he said.

In his foreword, the Ambassador stated that Russia will continue to work to strengthen international peace and stability, with the goal of establishing a fair and democratic international system based on collective decision-making, the rule of international law, indivisible security, and the widely accepted principles of equal rights, mutual respect, and non-interference in domestic affairs.