RuAviation

Russia views India as a strategic partner in the aerospace sector and is proposing enhanced cooperation, including the establishment of a licensed production facility for the fifth-generation Su-57E fighter on Indian soil. This was announced by Vadim Badeha, Director General of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), during the Aero India 2025 airshow.

“For the Indian market, the Su-57 aircraft is, in my opinion, simply essential as the next step in evolution, in the furtherance of joint progress between our countries and between our aerospace companies and our aviation industry. We propose that consideration be given to manufacturing this aircraft here in India, in the same manner that the Su-30MKI aircraft is currently produced. No other vendor can offer such a proposition. And we are confident that the Su-57 will have a splendid, large, and very bright future in the Indian market,” said the head of UAC in a video interview with the corporation’s press service.

The military-political leadership of Russia, as well as the corporate leadership of UAC, considers the Su-57 to be a fifth-generation fighter possessing technologies that ensure its superiority for several decades. Operational testing in combat conditions confirms the stated performance characteristics, which increases interest in the aircraft from potential customers, notably Algeria, Vietnam, and other countries, including India. An important factor is also the Russian side’s willingness to engage in joint development based on the Su-57 platform, which enables the incorporation of specific customer requirements in accordance with the “Make in India” initiative.

The offer to manufacture the Su-57E in India is unprecedented. If realised, the Indian side will gain access to cutting-edge technologies and strengthen its defence industrial base. Such experience already exists within the framework of Su-30MKI fighter production, which creates a foundation for successful collaboration. Flight demonstrations by Sukhoi Design Bureau test pilot Sergei Bogdan in the Su-57 will be one of the highlights of the Aero India 2025 airshow, which will further attract attention to the aircraft.

Failed Indo-Russian Fifth Generation Fight Aircraft – FGFA project

In the past, cooperation between Russia and India in the development of fifth-generation fighters has faced difficulties. The Indian side expressed critical remarks regarding the characteristics of the Russian prototype, in particular, the level of stealth and engine power. The FGFA project, which envisaged the joint development of a fifth-generation fighter, was suspended due to disagreements on issues of technology transfer and the distribution of intellectual property rights.

Delhi expressed concerns that the FGFA aircraft offered to India would differ significantly from the PAK FA (Su-57), and the cost of the programme could amount to around $25 billion for 127 aircraft. Nevertheless, interest in advanced Russian fighters remains in India, opening up opportunities for a reboot of cooperation. Organising serial production of the Su-57E on Indian soil could be a compromise solution that meets the interests of both sides.

The final decision on the procurement and production of fifth-generation fighters in India will be made on the basis of a comprehensive assessment of technical, economic, and political factors. Russia’s offer to localise production of the Su-57E is an important step towards strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the aerospace sector.