Russia’s S-500 Air Defence System
Defence
In News
- The Prime Minister of India and the President of Russia are expected to discuss India’s interest in the next-generation S-500 air defence system.
S-500 Air Defence System
- It is Russia’s most advanced long-range, surface-to-air and anti-space defence system, designed to intercept a wide spectrum of modern and future airborne threats.
- It can intercept aircraft, missiles, and hypersonic threats at distances up to 600 km.
- It is operational at altitudes up to 200 km. It has a reaction time 3–4 seconds, nearly twice as fast as the S-400.
|
Feature |
S-400 |
S-500 |
|
Range |
380 km |
600 km |
|
Target Altitude |
30–40 km |
Up to 200 km (near-space) |
|
Threats Intercepted |
Aircraft, cruise missiles, limited ballistic missiles |
Ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, stealth aircraft, LEO satellites |
|
Reaction Time |
9–10 sec |
3–4 sec |
|
Anti-Satellite Capability |
No |
Yes |
|
Role |
Long-range air defence |
Air + space defence |
Operation Sagar Bandhu
International
Context
- In the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, which caused widespread devastation across Sri Lanka, India swiftly launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to support relief and rescue efforts.
Operation Sagar Bandhu
- It is a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operation launched by India to provide emergency aid to Sri Lanka.
Under the operation, India dispatched:
- Relief material
- Medical supplies
- Emergency equipment
- Significance – The operation reflects India’s commitment to its Neighbourhood First Policy and the broader maritime vision of MAHASAGAR.
Additional Information – Cyclone Ditwah
- It is a tropical storm that rapidly formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal.
- The name Ditwah was contributed by Yemen.
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