Acquisition of S-400 ‘Triumf’ missiles sans offset clause ?

The Government of India may well procure the Russian S-400 missiles without the offset clause, so as to speed up deliveries. India and Russia had signed a deal for five regiments of the S-400 long range surface-to-air missiles at a cost of $5.5 billion (Rs 39,000 crores). The S-400 ‘Triumf’ in Russia (NATO SA-21 ‘Growler’), is considered as amongst the most lethal, long range surface-to-air

missile systems in the world. S-400 has a tracking range of 600 km and can engage targets up to a range of 400 km at a scorching speed of 13.8 Mach (17000km/h). Deliveries of the S-400 to India are not likely to start before 2019-2020 as production in Russia is concentrating on domestic requirements as also orders from China.