TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Responding to growing concerns over the security of South Asia’s skies, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is deploying S-400 air defense missile systems in the northern Indian state of Punjab.

The deployment of the Russian-made weapons system is due by the end of the year, according to an ANI report.

"The first squadron is being deployed in the Punjab sector. The batteries of the first squadron would be capable of taking care of aerial threats from both Pakistan and China," government sources said.

Last month, China moved long-range bombers previously parked in Beijing to the PLA’s Western Theater Command, within striking distance of India. Though Delhi responded at the time by sending its Mig-29UPG and Su-30MKI fighter jets to airbases near the Chinese border, the new S-400 deployment could be a longer-term defensive move.

The sale of S-400s to India has not been without controversy. It was after a BRICS Summit in 2016 that Delhi, ignoring threats of sanctions from Washington, began the process of acquiring five of the systems from Moscow. India managed to drive down the price by almost US$1 billion (NT$27.84 billion), per ANI.

Though Delhi aims to safeguard itself against Chinese aggression, Moscow has also sold the S400 system to Beijing, which poses a risk to Taipei.

China first purchased the system from Russia in 2015, and delivery began in January 2018. That same year, China tested it in the Taiwan Strait.

A recent National Interest report by defense analyst David Axe says China claims it can take down targets more than 240 kilometers away with the missile system. Considering Taiwan is just 225 km from China at its furthest point, Axe warns the Chinese S-400s could take down Taiwanese warplanes shortly after they take off from the runway.