Top defence ministry officials will meet their Russian counterparts this week to consider either joint manufacture or outright purchase of five more S-400 air defence systems from Moscow with an objective of enhancing India’s long range defensive capabilities.

The deal is expected to be given a green signal before Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in India on December 5 for the annual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Also Read | India spends defence budget on foreign ships. Can't it build its own?

HT learns that the two sides have already agreed on the cost of the additional five systems with annual escalation from the 2018 price. The modalities are not final yet and there’s talk that three of the five systems will be purchased outright and the remaining will be buil

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