From S-400 To Su-57: Inside India's Army Chief's High-Stakes Moscow Visit

Just a few days after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited India for the now-concluded BRICS Summit, Indian Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth has begun his official visit to Russia from September 16-18. This will be his second international visit since assuming office as the Chief of the Army Staff, as his first visit to Nepal concluded last month.

According to sources, discussions on "equipment, spares and maintenance" are likely to take place, at a time when the Russian war machinery has been engaged in a high-intensity conflict with Ukraine since 2022. During the visit, the Army Chief will receive a ceremonial Guard of Honour and pay tribute to fallen soldiers at the ‘Tomb of the Unknown Soldier’ in Moscow.

"He will be holding discussions with Colonel General Andrei Nikolayevich Mordvichev, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Land Forces, on issues of mutual interest, including professional military cooperation and training," the Ministry of Defence said in its press note.

According to the MoD, the Army Chief "will be visiting the National Defence Control Centre in Moscow and interact with senior officials of the Russian Ministry of Defence, including Vasily Sergeyevich Osmakov, Deputy Minister of Defence, dealing with defence industry and procurement. The engagements will provide an opportunity to exchange perspectives on contemporary military developments and avenues for enhancing defence cooperation."

India-Russia Defence Ties And Equipment

While India in the last few years has diversified its war equipment imports, including from the United States, France, Israel and others, even today, Indian equipment is largely Russian-origin, including battle tanks such as the T-90, rocket launchers, artillery and others.

At a time when geopolitical turbulence has created a dent in the 'rules-based international order', as seen in the ongoing wars and the inability of international institutions, it becomes imperative for the Indian Army to ensure the availability of spare parts and the upgradation of its equipment.

The Russian side is eager to offer its Sukhoi-57 fifth-generation fighter jets to India, but as of now, there has been no movement on this, while Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has already clarified that the country had no plans to acquire this.

Earlier last month, Russia submitted a proposal to the Defence Ministry in response to the Indian tender for acquiring five more squadrons of the S-400 air defence systems for the Indian Air Force, estimated to be around Rs 50,000 crore.

It is expected that negotiations and talks are bound to happen.

S-400, Artillery Academy On Army Chief's Itinerary

The S-400 played a crucial role in last year's Operation Sindoor. According to a recent report by the Ministry of Defence, an IAF S-400 unit destroyed a Pakistani special mission aircraft from a distance of 314 kilometres.

As part of the visit, General Dhiraj Seth will also travel to Saint Petersburg, where he will visit the Mikhailovskaya Military Artillery Academy and interact with its leadership and faculty.

Meanwhile, this visit is likely to deepen military cooperation and reinforce the enduring defence relationship between India and Russia. Even as New Delhi diversifies its arms sourcing, Russian-origin equipment still forms the backbone of the Army's arsenal, and big-ticket deals like the S-400 expansion remain under negotiation.