Russia starts delivery of some components of 2nd regiment of S-400 missile systems to India: Reports
New Delhi, Apr 15: Notwithstanding its continuing military strikes against Ukraine, Russia has started supplying some components of the second regiment of the S-400 Triumf missile defence system to India, people familiar with the development said on Friday.
However, they added that not all key parts of the regiment have been supplied yet.
The supplies came amid increasing concerns in New Delhi over possible delays in the supply of major military hardware to India by Russia in view of the crisis in Ukraine.
"Russia has started delivering some components of the second regiment of the S-400 missile system. Not all key parts of the regiment have been supplied yet," said one of the people cited above.
It is understood that the components supplied included simulators.
Russia had started delivery of the first regiment of the missile in December.
The missile system has already been deployed in such a way that it can cover parts of the border with China in the northern sector as well as the frontier with Pakistan.
It is learnt that the issue of India-Russia defence ties figured during Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit to India two weeks ago.
Last month, Russia said that there will be no impact of the Western sanctions against it on the supply of S-400 missile systems to India.
"As regards the S-400 deal, be rest assured that it will not be impacted in any way. It is a 100 surety," Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov had said.
The Western countries have imposed severe sanctions on Russia in the last few days following its military invasion of Ukraine.
In October 2018, India had signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, despite a warning from the Trump administration that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions.
Russia has been a major supplier of military hardware to India. The two countries have been holding discussions on what kind of payment mechanisms can work between them in view of the Western sanctions on Moscow.
Unlike many other leading powers, India has not yet directly criticised Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and it abstained from the votes at the UN platforms in condemning the Russian aggression.
India has been pressing for the resolution of the crisis through diplomacy and dialogue.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, March 2 and March 7.
Modi had spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy twice.
Earlier this month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in Parliament that India's position on the Ukraine conflict has been "steadfast and consistent" and that it has been seeking immediate cessation of violence.
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Assam govt drops ex-president Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed's name from medical college in Barpeta
Guwahati, Mar 10 (PTI): The Assam government on Tuesday decided to rename Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital as Barpeta Medical College and Hospital.
Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the state cabinet, which approved the decision, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said most government medical colleges in the state are named after the places where they are located.
"All our medical colleges are named after their locations. We see that in the medical colleges in Guwahati, Dhubri, Silchar, Bongaigaon, Biswanath and Sonitpur. Somehow, the Barpeta one was named as Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital, which does not align with the naming pattern of other medical colleges," he said.
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Sarma said the cabinet decided to rename the institution to avoid confusion.
"Because of its name, many people ask whether it is a private medical college. That is why the cabinet today decided to change the name and make it Barpeta Medical College and Hospital," he said.
Sarma said the government would name another institution after former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed in recognition of his stature.
"As Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was India's president and the first one from Assam, the cabinet decided that another educational or cultural institution of the same or higher stature will be named after him. We will take a decision in this regard to keep his name alive," he added.
Established in 2011, the medical college is affiliated with Srimanta Sankardeva University of Health Sciences and has been offering undergraduate courses since 2012 and postgraduate medical education since 2019.
