New Delhi (Sputnik): A week ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's arrival in New Delhi for a bilateral annual summit, the Narendra Modi-led Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has given its approval for the purchase of five advanced S-400 air defense missile systems amounting to over $5 billion.
"CCS on Wednesday cleared the purchase of S-400," a government official confirmed the development on Thursday.
India will pay 15 percent of the deal amount at the time of the signing of the final contract while the rest of the amount will be paid on the arrival of the game-changing air defense system.
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"Looks like the final contract is going to be signed. I hope it gets signed. It will add a big punch to the air defense capability of the Indian Air Force and the country," retired Air Marshal Anil Chopra told Sputnik.
India on October 15, 2016, had signed an inter-governmental agreement with Russia for the procurement of five firing units of the S-400 air defense system. Of the five systems to be acquired, three are earmarked for deployment in the west and two for the east to plug gaps in the country's air deference coverage.