• India thwarted Pakistan’s attempts to strike military sites with drones and missiles including in Jammu and Pathankot after foiling similar bids at 15 places in northern and western regions of the country on May 8.

• The S-400 missile defence systems, surface-to-air missiles and the integrated counter unmanned aircraft system were used in countering the Pakistani attempts.

• The Russian-made S-400 Triumf air defence system is named Sudarshan Chakra. It intercepted drones and missiles fired toward military sites. 

• India had faced diplomatic pressure from the United States to abandon its deal for purchase of the S-400 system. 

The Russian deal and its after-effect

• In October 2018, India and Russia formally inked the $5.2 billion deal for the S-400 missile system, despite a warning from the then-Trump administration that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions.

• The S-400 Triumf is an advanced surface-to-air missile system, developed by Russia’s state-owned company Almaz-Antey, and can shoot down hostile aircraft and ballistic missiles. It has an estimated range of 250 km and a possible upgrade is speculated to extend it to 400 km. 

• China was the first foreign buyer to seal a government-to-government deal with Russia in 2014 to procure the lethal missile system. 

• Following the US sanctions on Turkey over the procurement of S-400 missile systems, there were apprehensions that Washington may impose similar punitive measures on India.

• In July 2022, the US House of Representatives passed by voice vote a legislative amendment that approves waiver to India against the CAATSA sanctions for its purchase of the S-400 missile defence system from Russia to help deter aggressors like China.

• Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) is a tough US law that authorises the US administration to impose sanctions on countries that purchase major defence hardware from Russia in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its alleged meddling in the 2016 US presidential elections.

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