Despite strong interest from the Indian Air Force (IAF) in acquiring Russia's most advanced air defence network, the S-500 Prometheus, Moscow has conveyed that it cannot accept export orders at this stage.
Senior defence industry officials have clarified that while India remains a priority partner, the immediate focus of the Russian military-industrial complex is satisfying its own urgent national security requirements.
Domestic Production Takes Precedence
According to high-ranking representatives from Rosoboronexport, Russia’s state arms exporter, the IAF has formally submitted queries regarding the S-500 system.The Indian military has reportedly studied the platform’s technical parameters in detail. However, Russian officials have frankly stated that supply chains are currently saturated.
The primary constraint is the production capacity at Almaz-Antey, the developer of the system.
In early 2020, the Russian Ministry of Defence signed a substantial contract for approximately ten S-500 regiments. Deliveries for these units commenced between 2021 and 2022, but the rollout has been deliberate.
As of late 2025, only a select number of these systems have reached operational capability, where they are currently deployed to shield Moscow and critical strategic missile silos.
Production lines in cities like Nizhny Novgorod and Kirov are ramping up, but the Russian armed forces hold the exclusive right to every battery produced until at least the 2028–2030 timeframe.
Critical high-tech components, including the 91N6A(M) battle-management radars and the 76T6 multimode engagement radars, are in short supply and high demand domestically.
Capabilities and Strategic Necessity
The S-500 Prometheus is not merely an upgrade but a new class of weaponry. Officials note that it has moved beyond the experimental phase and is now in limited service, having successfully intercepted hypersonic targets during trials.Unlike its predecessor, the S-400, the S-500 is designed to engage threats in near-space, including hypersonic glide vehicles and low-orbit satellites, at ranges of up to 600 kilometres.
For India, this system is viewed as the "logical top tier" of a layered air defence shield. Indian defence planners are keen to counter specific emerging threats in the region, such as China’s DF-21D and DF-26 anti-ship ballistic missiles, as well as the expanding cruise missile inventories of Pakistan.
The S-500’s ability to neutralise targets at altitudes of up to 200 kilometres offers a unique solution to these high-velocity aerial dangers.
India Remains the "Tier-1" Priority
Russian sources have indicated that political approval for exporting the S-500 has effectively been granted for a small circle of "Tier-1 partners," specifically identifying India, Belarus, and potentially Algeria.However, concrete commercial offers will only be tabled once Russian manufacturers produce more units than their own military requires—a milestone expected in the early 2030s.
“India will be the first foreign customer when the time comes; there is no question about that,” a senior official emphasised.
Discussions regarding the integration architecture have already begun significantly in advance. This ensures that when the hardware becomes available, it can be seamlessly inducted into India’s existing network.
Interim Solutions and S-400 Expansion
To bridge the gap between current capabilities and the future arrival of the S-500, Russia is actively encouraging New Delhi to expand its fleet of S-400 ‘Triumf’ systems.India currently operates five S-400 regiments, which have reportedly performed well in recent operational contexts, such as the tensions referred to as 'Operation Sindoor'.
Negotiations are reportedly underway for five additional S-400 units to bolster India's borders in the interim.
Furthermore, Moscow has proposed deeper co-development of next-generation interceptors. This includes potential collaboration on a derivative of the 40N6E missile with a range exceeding 400 km, which could serve as a technological bridge toward full S-500 integration in the next decade.
