As Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in New Delhi for a state visit, a major topic of discussion on the defense front is the potential procurement of Moscow’s most advanced air defense system: the S-500 Prometheus. This move signals India’s intent to upgrade its aerial security layer after the widely acclaimed success of its existing S-400 system.
The S-400, a surface-to-air missile shield, recently demonstrated its game-changing capability during India’s “Operation Sindoor,” successfully shooting down at least six enemy aircraft in a three-day hostile engagement with Pakistan. Now, facing evolving threats from both its northern and western borders, India is reportedly considering the S-500—touted as the S-400’s “bigger, stronger, and smarter brother”—to maintain its air superiority.
Manufactured by Russia’s Almaz-Antey, the S-500 Prometheus is engineered to neutralize the most sophisticated threats of 21st-century warfare. Unlike its predecessor, the S-500 is specifically designed to intercept advanced hypersonic glide vehicles, hypersonic cruise missiles, and large-scale ballistic missile attacks. Crucially, its capability extends to engaging certain low-orbit satellites and space-launched threats, effectively making it an anti-space defense platform.
The Prometheus represents a significant leap in operational parameters compared to the S-400. While the S-400 can engage targets up to 400 km away and at an altitude of 30 km, the S-500 boasts a formidable maximum range of 600 km and an interception altitude of an astonishing 200 km. This altitude capacity places it near the Kármán Line, the edge of space, providing India with unprecedented protection from high-altitude and space-based attacks. The system can also simultaneously counter up to ten supersonic terminal ICBM warheads.
The system’s technological prowess is further highlighted by its missile arsenal and radar network. It utilizes two main types of interceptors: the upgraded 40N6M missiles, capable of exo-atmospheric interception; and the advanced 77N6-N and 77N6-N1 missiles. These advanced projectiles employ a “hit-to-kill” approach, destroying incoming threats by direct, high-speed impact rather than merely exploding nearby, as is the case with the S-400.
Backing this missile capability is a new generation of radars built on Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology, which offers enhanced range, quicker tracking, and superior resistance to jamming. The potential acquisition of the S-500 Prometheus would cement India’s status as a regional military powerhouse, establishing the next crucial layer in its air defense architecture.
