NEW DELHI: With China possessing the S-400 missile system, an IAF official has told a parliamentary standing committee that countering the potent weapon of the adversary will be based on India's "direct tactical planning".
India is in the process of acquiring a batch of S-400 Triumf missile systems from Russia.
"As regards S-400, you are right that they have it. But finally, it remains a potent weapon for them and it will be our tactics how to take them out," the IAF representative told the parliamentary standing committee on defence.
"Perhaps we have better precision weapons. So, do they. That will be direct tactical planning," the official said.
The comments of the representative featured in the 27th report of the committee that was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
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.
Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar told the panel that concerted efforts have been made in the last few years to ramp up the overall capability of the Indian Air Force.
"This pace of acquisition was not there earlier. We have acquired 36 Rafale fighter planes, we have issued orders for 83 LCAs (Light Combat Aircraft)," he said.
He further added,"We have ordered S-400, we have ordered UAVs. So, the composite effort to ramp up the air defence and the air capability in the last four to five years has been significant."