Russia eyes Su-57 fighter jet production in India - ANI
Su-57 fighter jet (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
Russia is conducting a study on the investments required to produce Su-57 fighter jets in India, according to ANI.
India has stated that it needs at least two to three squadrons of fifth-generation aircraft, with the main contenders being Russia’s Su-57 and the US F-35.
Moscow, aiming to promote its platform, has launched a study to determine the best way to establish production capabilities in India.
Officials noted that the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited facility in Nashik, which is already licensed to produce Su-30MKIs, could be repurposed for Su-57 production if needed. To reduce costs and speed up timelines, other production centers manufacturing Russian-origin equipment could also be involved.
This comes as New Delhi and Moscow have expanded defense consultations, despite tensions between India and Washington over tariffs and sharp rhetoric from the US administration.
Russian officials have repeatedly urged India to purchase the Su-57, with discussions also covering high-tech air defense systems such as the S-400 and S-500.
Meanwhile, India participated in a Russian fifth-generation fighter project over a decade ago before withdrawing due to disagreements, though a revival of cooperation is not ruled out given the global situation.
US pressure to introduce the F-35 into India’s arsenal continues, even as New Delhi advances its own fifth-generation fighter program. With approval granted last year, India’s indigenous aircraft is expected to make its first flight by 2028 and enter service around 2035.
As reported by RBC-Ukraine, in October 2024, Russia halted production of Su-57 Felon fighters due to Western sanctions, which choked the supply of critical equipment.
According to The Telegraph, at that time, Russia had just over 30 Su-57s in service, one-third of them test models potentially lacking some planned electronics.
About the Su-57
The Su-57 made its first flight in 2010. Over the next 10 years, the manufacturer, Sukhoi, manually built 10 test models. In 2019, the Kremlin signed a contract for 76 production aircraft, reportedly costing around $50 million each.
Sukhoi delivered the first 10 serial Su-57s to the Russian Aerospace Forces in 2022, and another 11 in 2023. In 2024, only a few additional aircraft were delivered.
