An army Jawan firing a Igla-S Man-portable air-defence system

Army has contracted Igla-S systems from Russia under emergency procurement

After several delays in its modernisation process, the Army Air Defence (AD) is looking at major progress in the next few months in terms of deals and trials. These include additional indigenous Akash Surface to Air Missile (SAM) systems, the under development Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) and Igla-S Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) Systems from Russia, according to defence officials.

The Army had contracted a small number of Igla-S systems from Russia under emergency procurement through the Vice Chiefs emergency financial powers and deliveries were expected soon, two officials confirmed.

“The Army has two Akash regiments in service and negotiations are on for two more. Contract is expected to be concluded by January,” an official said.

Akash is the indigenously designed and developed medium range SAM system with a range of 25 km.