India Eyes 8,000-Km Range Radar From Russia To Counter Chinese Aerial and Missile Threats

India and Russia are reportedly in advance stages of talks over a mega defence deal that could give a massive boost to India's air defence infrastructure.

The deal, which is expected to be worth more than $4 billion, involves India purchasing an early warning radar system 'Voronezh' from Russia with a range of over 6,000 kilometers.

This comes as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is on an visit to Russia.

The advanced 'Voronezh' series radar is manufactured by Russia's Almaz-Antey Corporation, a specialist organisation for manufacturing anti-aircraft missile systems and radars.

The Voronezh radar is an advanced long-range early warning system boasting a range exceeding 8,000 kilometers.

It is designed to detect and track threats, including ballistic missiles, fighter jets, and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

If acquired by India, the radar will provide comprehensive coverage against aerial threats from China, South and Central Asia, and large parts of the Indian Ocean region.

Capable of tracking over 500 objects simultaneously, the Voronezh radar has a maximum range of 10,000 km, with a vertical range exceeding 8,000 km and a horizon range of over 6,000 km.

Russia claims that the system can detect stealth aircraft and deliver detailed data on ICBMs, as well as near-Earth objects in space.

The negotiations between Indian and Russian officials regarding the deal have been going on for a while.

Last month, a team from Almaz-Antey visited India to interact with the offset partners that will be involved in the project, the Sunday Guardian reported.

The outlet noted, citing sources, that at least 60 per cent of the system will be manufactured by Indian partners, in line with the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.

If the deal is finalised, the radar system is likely to be installed in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district, where a site has reportedly been surveyed.

The district already hosts several of India’s most advanced and top secret aerospace facilities.

The acquisition of the radar system is expected to greatly enhance India’s threat-detection and surveillance capabilities across Asia and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), bolstering its air defence infrastructure to address regional and global challenges.

On the second day of his visit on Tuesday (10 December), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh co-chaired a high-level meeting with his Russian counterpart, Andrey Belousov, to discuss military-technical cooperation.

The meeting underscored the special, strategic and privileged defence partnership between India and Russia.

Defence Minister Singh also reviewed the status of the two remaining S-400 Triumph missile systems that India is awaiting from Russia.

The deal for these advanced missile systems was signed in 2018.

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