The Indian Navy has signed a defense agreement worth ₹2,182 crore (about $230 million) with Russia to further strengthen the air defense capability of its fleet. The agreement was signed on Tuesday (March 3) between the Defense Ministry and JSC Rosoboronexport, Russia’s government defense export agency. The deal is part of a comprehensive defense package totaling ₹5,083 crore, which also includes advanced light helicopters for the Coast Guard.
Under this contract, the Navy will receive the advanced ‘Shtil’ surface-to-air missile system (Shtil-1) and its associated missile holding frame. The Shtil-1 system is already deployed on the Shivalik-class frigate and Talwar-class frigate warships of the Indian Navy. It is equipped with Vertical Launch System (VLS) and is capable of engaging air threats at a range of 50 to 70 kilometers.
The system uses 9M317ME type missiles, which can achieve speeds of more than Mach 4. It is capable of tracking up to 12 targets simultaneously and provides effective protection against aircraft, helicopters, anti-ship missiles and threats flying close to the sea surface. The ability to fire one missile every two seconds gives it a decisive edge during multi-directional attacks.
According to the Navy, this purchase was necessary to replenish and upgrade the missile stockpile deployed on existing warships. The move will strengthen the fleet’s survivability and multi-layered air defense capability amid growing strategic activities in the Indian Ocean region and increasing naval deployments of major powers.
Rosoboronexport, a member of Russia’s defense export framework, has been a long-standing partner of India. The stealth frigate INS Tamal, recently handed over to the Indian Navy, also has 24 Shtil-1 cells and BrahMos missiles deployed. The deal marks the continuation of India-Russia defense cooperation, while India is also parallelly expanding defense cooperation with countries like the US, France and Israel.
Delivery is likely to take place within 18 to 30 months, after which integration trials will be conducted on selected frigates. The Navy aims to ensure deployment of these missiles in the entire fleet by the end of 2027. Experts believe that this deal is timely in view of Pakistan’s developing air strike capability and China’s aircraft carrier based strategy. This agreement will not only address the missile stockpile shortfall, but also underlines a pragmatic and balanced approach in India’s maritime security strategy.
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