What is the S-400?
It is a Russian long range air defence system. It tracks multiple aerial targets like missiles and drones up to a range of 600 km and destroys them in air, thus keeping the people on land safe.
What can the S-400 intercept and destroy?
It can tackle a variety of aerial threats like drones, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and even stealth aircraft.
How do we know the S-400 in India?
India refers to it as the Sudarshan Chakra, the powerful weapon wielded by Lord Krishna in the Mahabharat to defeat enemies.
Who manufactures the S-400?
It is produced by a Russian company, Almaz-Antey.
The S-400 entered the Russian defence service in 2007. It replaced the S-300, which was developed by the erstwhile Soviet Union. By 2020, the S-400 became the backbone of Russian surface to air missile capabilities.
When did India buy the S-400?
India signed a Rs 35,000 crore (Rs 350 billion) deal with Russia in 2018 to procure five S-400 systems. Three of them are currently operational while the remaining two are expected to be delivered by 2026.
The US wasn't mighty pleased with the defence deal, was it?
No, the US did not like the Modi government going ahead with the S-400 deal with Russia. The US government wanted India to buy the Patriot and THAAD missile defence systems as an alternative.
The US also issued a veiled threat to the Modi government that it would impose economic sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) but Modi did not budge.
How many countries have the S-400?
Only five countries possess the S-400 -- Russia, China, India, Turkey and Belarus.
How did the S-400 help India on Thursday night during the Pakistani bombardment?
None of the Pakistani projectiles could land on target. They were all destroyed midair by the S-400.
Pakistan fired multiple projectiles against Jammu, Jaisalmer and other cities, but none of them could make it past the Sudarshan Chakra.