Russian diplomat Roman Babushkin on Wednesday surprised everyone after he referred to the S-400 missile system as "Sudarshan Chakra" during a press conference in New Delhi.
Babushkin, who is the Deputy Chief of Mission at Russian Embassy, was asked whether India will consider systems like Israel’s Iron Dome. To this, he responded: “You mean Sudarshan Chakra?”
He further quipped: "Next time ask in Hindi, I can answer better!"
The S-400 missile system, which India has purchased from Russia, is also known as "Sudarshan Chakra". The system proved highly effective for India during the four-day military conflict with Pakistan in May as it successfully intercepted and shot down enemy missiles.
The remark also comes days after PM Modi announced the Mission Sudarshan Chakra during his Independence Day speech. The mission is an ambitious plan to develop an indigenous air defence shield, along the lines of Israel's Iron Dome, to secure India’s critical civilian and strategic assets from external threats.
Babushkin, who was all praises for India-Russia ties throughout the briefing, welcomed everyone in Hindi. "Shuruat karengey... Shree Ganesh Karengey!" Babushkin said as he began his media interaction.
The Russian official also sharply criticised US tariffs on India, asserting that such actions reflect a lack of trust and disrespect for national sovereignty.
He said that Russia will "welcome" Indian goods if there is difficulty in entering the US market due to tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.
(With inputs from agencies)
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