KUBINKA, Moscow region. Aug 16 (Interfax) - A contract for delivering S-400 air defense missile systems to India is being implemented, Rosoboronexport head Alexander Mikheyev told Interfax.
"The contract is being fulfilled consistent with the agreements [reached] between the Russian and Indian sides," Mikheyev said at the Army 2023 forum.
The head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Department, Igor Kostyukov, said on Tuesday that the United States was blackmailing Asia Pacific countries in order to hinder the fulfillment of arms contracts with Russia, including the S-400 contract with India.
"By blackmailing countries of [the Asia Pacific] region with the threat of sanctions, Washington is obstructing the implementation of Russian contracts for delivering S-400 air defense missile systems to India, Sukhoi Su-35 fighter aircraft and Mil Mi-17 helicopters to Indonesia, and Mi-171 helicopters to the Philippines. It is also seeking to disrupt planned military-technical cooperation between Russia and Vietnam," Kostyukov said at the Moscow Conference on International Security on Tuesday.
According to official reports, a contract for delivering Almaz-Antey's S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems to India was signed on the sidelines of a Russian-Indian summit in early October 2018. The $5.43-billion contract stipulates the delivery of five S-400 regimental sets to India. As reported, the deliveries will be completed by the end of 2024.