Russian envoy says no doubts on India's Kashmir approach, S-400 missiles to be delivered to India by 2025

NEW DELHI: Russia has no doubts about India's approach on Kashmir, which is a strictly bilateral matter between India and Pakistan, Moscow's envoy to New Delhi Nikolay Kudashev said on Friday.

Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin added that all S-400 air defence missile systems will be delivered to India by 2025. The production of S-400 missiles to be delivered to India has started, he said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will visit Russia on March 22 and March 23 to attend a meeting of the Russia-Indian-China trilateral, Kudashev said.


"Those having doubts over India's approach on Kashmir can go there, we don't have any doubt," he said on not being invited to visit Jammu and Kashmir.

Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin also said that a contract will shortly be finalised for joint production of Kamov light weight multi-role military helicopters for India.

At a joint press conference with Russian Ambassador Nikolai Kudashev, he also said that Indian Armed forces will receive the first batch of 5,000 Kalashnikov rifles this year which will be produced in India under a joint venture.

Babushkin said Russia and India have "successfully found solutions" to the payment issues and the focus this year will be to implement mega deals in the defence sector.

"The supply of five S-400 air defence systems will be completed by 2025. Their production has already started," he said without elaborating.

On China's attempt to raise the issue of Kashmir at the Security Council, Kudashev said, "It's a strictly bilateral matter to discuss between India and Pakistan based on Shimla Agreement and Lahore Declaration.

The S-400, an upgraded version of the S-300, had previously only been available to the Russian defence forces.
It is manufactured by Almaz-Antey and has been in service in Russia since 2007.