India Could Produce Russian 5^th-Gen Fighter Jet Quickly: Moscow

By R Anil Kumar

Moscow. Russia has emphasized the potential benefits of its Su-57 fighter jet over the US-offered F-35 for India’s military modernization efforts.

Russian arms exporter ROSOBORONEXPORT highlighted the possibility of quickly upgrading existing production lines in India to assemble the Su-57E, a fifth-generation warplane.

This comes as India seeks to enhance its air force capabilities, aiming to increase its fighter squadrons from 31 to 42 by 2035.

Russia has sweetened its offer for the Su-57E to India by promising that the existing infrastructure for the production of the Su-30MKI could be used to launch the production of the Russian fifth-generation fighter jet in India.

Russia renewed its pitch for the sale of its fifth-generation Su-57E stealth aircraft to India in February 2025, ahead of the Aero India 2025 exhibition. The aircraft made its debut at the biennial show hosted by India, with visitors and defence industry officials frolicking to the exhibit to observe it on display.

Russia’s state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, offered a “golden deal”to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Alexander Mikheev, Director General of Rosoboronexport, proposed “the all-round development of cooperation on the Su-57E project. Among our proposals is the supply of ready-made aircraft, the organization of their joint production in India, as well as assistance in the development of an Indian fifth-generation fighter.”

Now, Rosoboronexport has signalled it will leverage the existing Su-30MKI infrastructure for the local production of Su-57E in India.

Rosoboronexport said that if India finalizes the deal, the Indian companies that manufacture Russian Su-30MKI fighter jets can soon begin producing the fifth-generation Su-57E fighter.

“In case of a positive decision by the Indian side, the production of the Russian fifth-generation Su-57E fighter jet can be started at the factories currently producing the Su-30MKI fighter within a short time,” it said in a statement.

Russia has been one of the world’s largest arms exporters for decades. India already has about 260 Su-30MKI fighters in its inventory, of which more than 220 have been license-produced at local facilities by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Late last year, HAL signed a Rs 13,500 crore (US$1.5 billion) deal to procure 12 additional Sukhoi Su-30MKI aircraft and associated equipment.

There are also plans to upgrade the aircraft. In November 2023, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the modernization of the Indian Air Force’s Su-30MKI fleet by the HAL.

Pushing its Su-57E offer to India, Rosoboronexport said it is prepared to carry out the fleet upgrade program for the Indian Air Force’s Su-30MKI fighters, engaging Indian industrial businesses in general.

“It is possible to boost combat capabilities of the Su-30MKI jet by way of integrating new air-launched weapons and upgrading onboard systems,” it stated.

“Today the continuation of the program of producing these aircraft in India is being discussed. We expect good news in the near future.”

If these statements are anything to go by, Russia is offering India three things: local production of Su-57E, modernization of Su-30MKI, and assistance with India’s own fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program.

While India has not specified whether it is willing to take Rosoboronexport’s offer, it is currently reeling under a growing stealth and capability gap with adversaries, China and Pakistan.

This has led to a growing momentum within the country (among ex-officials and commentators) to purchase a foreign fifth-generation aircraft.

However, the Russian Su-57E is not the only fifth-generation aircraft on offer to India. Last month, US President Donald Trump ‘pitched’ the F-35 Lightning II to New Delhi. The two aircraft even shared the tarmac at the Aero India 2025 show and performed stunning aerial manoeuvres one after another.

The Indian government has so far maintained silence over the possible acquisition of either of these fighter jets.

The Russian Su-57 For India

The Su-57 is Russia’s most advanced combat jet. It is a supersonic, twin-engine, fifth-gen aircraft, designed to destroy air, ground, and naval targets.

The Su-57 is said to have cutting-edge onboard radio-electronic equipment, including a potent onboard computer. Its radar system is spread across its body, and its armament is placed inside its fuselage. Additionally, the aircraft’s AI system assumes some of the pilot’s functions, including piloting and preparations for the use of weapons.

The Su-57 is armed with beyond-visual-range missiles and two short-range missiles for air-to-air combat missions. The fighter’s primary medium-range missile is the active radar-homing K-77M (Izdeliye 180). An upgraded version of the R-77 medium-range missile, the K-77M is a radar-guided beyond visual range (BVR) missile equipped with an active electronically scanned array radar seeker.

Moscow could also add the new R-37M long-range hypersonic missiles to boost the aircraft’s firepower. Russia also intends to use S-70 Okhotnik drones as a “loyal wingman” to the Su-57.

In December 2024, a high-ranking UAC official stated that the Su-57 stealth aircraft is being equipped with sixth-generation fighter technology.

Despite these state-of-the-art technological features, the Su-57 has failed to take off in the export market. Only recently, Russia announced that it has signed the first export order for Su-57E.

Algeria has reportedly become the first buyer of the Russian fifth-generation aircraft, however, there has been no official confirmation.

Russia seems really invested in selling the aircraft to India. New Delhi is not only Moscow’s strategic partner but also one of the biggest users of Russian arms and combat platforms.

By offering the transfer of technology and local production, Russia is appealing to India’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ ambitions, which aim to prioritise local manufacturing and indigenisation.

India is currently facing a massive capability gap with China, which has two different fifth-generation fighters—the J-20 and the J-35A.

Moreover, the IAF is also dealing with a depleted squadron strength as it awaits the delivery of Tejas, which has been delayed by years. The IAF is also losing its old fighter jets in frequent crashes, as exemplified in the latest Jaguar crash in the Himalayas.

While some defence analysts support the purchase of Su-57 as an interim solution to bolster combat capability, others have fiercely opposed it citing arguments that it could sabotage the AMCA program, strain the IAF’s financial resources, and could lead to difficulties in the relationship with the United States.

As India struggles to develop a fifth-generation aircraft, Russia has swooped in with an offer that would be too hard for New Delhi to turn down.

ROSOBORONEXPORT noted its successful collaboration with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which has produced over 220 Sukhoi Su-30MKI aircraft.

The company suggested that the factories currently assembling the Su-30MKI could be adapted to produce the Su-57E if India decides to proceed.

This option is seen as advantageous because domestically produced Su-57Es would be less vulnerable to Western sanctions, which have raised concerns about future Russian deliveries.

Meanwhile, during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Washington, US President Donald Trump proposed the F-35 as an alternative.

The US aims to strengthen military cooperation with India, which traditionally relies on Russia for advanced weaponry. However, the F-35 is typically reserved for America’s closest allies, making its offer significant.

Both the Su-57 and F-35 were showcased at the Aero India air show, where they were seen as competing options for India’s military modernization. ROSOBORONEXPORT has offered to partner with India on developing and localizing the production of the Su-57E.

India had initially been part of a joint project with Russia for a fifth-generation aircraft but withdrew in 2018. The current situation reflects a strategic competition between Russia and the US for India’s defence contracts.