India’s air defence systems have recently demonstrated immense power by successfully thwarting Pakistani attacks. Now, the responsibility to prevent future strikes with precision rests squarely on our armed forces. As you may know, the most lethal component of India’s air defence system is the Russian-made S-400. According to sources, the S-400 was used during Operation Sindoor, and based on its performance, the Indian military is now looking to procure additional S-400 missiles. This system comprises four types of missiles capable of engaging targets at ranges between 50 km and 400 km, and India has already sent a request to Russia for more. In today’s DNA, Rahul Sinha, Managing Editor, of Zee News, analysed the S-500 Project proposal:
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#DNAWithRahulSinha | S-400 से ज्यादा मारक ‘अस्त्र’ Coming Soon!#DNA #IndiaPakistanNews #S400 #S500 #Russia #IndianArmy @RahulSinhaTV pic.twitter.com/knLmSwRKzH
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But now, it’s time to prepare for the arrival of the ‘Dada’ of the S-400 in India—the S-500 Prometheus. In Greek mythology, Prometheus is known as the god of fire, and this missile system lives up to that name, raining fire upon enemies. Russia had previously offered India a joint production deal for the S-500. The S-500 is significantly more powerful than the S-400. Simply put, this development has likely raised alarm bells in countries like Pakistan and China.
We are referring to the S-500 as the “Dada” of the S-400, not just for dramatic effect—but because in Bengali, “Dada” is a loving term for an elder brother, and in terms of capability, the S-500 is truly a more advanced big brother of S-400. Here’s why:
Range: While the S-400 can hit targets up to 400 km, the S-500 extends that to 600 km—an additional 200 km.
Target Types: The S-400 can intercept missiles, fighter jets, and drones. The S-500, in addition to all these, can target satellites in Earth’s orbit.
Response Time: The S-400 takes about 9–10 seconds to strike a target. The S-500 cuts this down to 3–4 seconds, making it almost twice as fast.
If deployed along India’s borders, the S-500 would cover every corner of Pakistan, including areas near its borders with Afghanistan and Iran.
According to Russian sources, the S-500 can also target stealth fighter jets that evade radar detection. China already possesses such jets, and Pakistan has begun efforts to acquire them from China. This makes the S-500 a strategic necessity for India. Experts believe that no other air defence system in the world rivals the S-500.
To put things in perspective:
The S-500’s 600 km range dwarfs that of the American THAAD system, which only reaches 200 km. The S-500’s missiles can reach speeds of 7 km per second, enabling them to destroy a target 600 km away in just 90 seconds. In contrast, THAAD’s missiles max out at 2.5 km per second. Russian media claims that a single S-500 unit may cost around ?6,000 crore, while the American THAAD system is estimated at Rs 6,800 crore or more. Russia claims its air defense systems are the most powerful globally, and the data backs that up. The S-400 and S-500 can operate in tandem, and if India signs the deal, this “powerhouse duo” will be more than capable of defending our borders.
Notably, Russia has never made an S-500 offer to any other country. In defence and diplomacy, permanent allies are the most trustworthy. It’s due to the strong India-Russia ties that India boldly went ahead with the S-400 purchase in 2018, despite threats of American sanctions. Recently, you may have seen images of BrahMos missile strikes on Pakistan. India and Russia jointly developed the BrahMos, and it’s quite possible that a “Make in India” version of the S-500 could be next.
To counter Pakistani drone attacks, India is also developing another powerful weapon—the micro-rocket system ‘Bhargavastra’. This is an anti-drone system that uses rocket fire to take down drone swarms. In a recent test on May 13, four rockets were fired, each hitting its target with precision. Senior Indian Army officials were present during the test. In the near future, Bhargavastra could be deployed along the border to eliminate Pakistani drones. But before that, legal drones are already descending on those plotting anti-national conspiracies in Uttar Pradesh.
