India Has Decided Not To Purchase Russia's Latest Su-57 Fighter Jets
Another blow to Moscow's back.
India will not be purchasing the latest Russian Su-57 fighter jets in the near future, stated the country’s Secretary of Defense, Rajeev Kumar Singh. ““We have not considered the new Sukhoi aircraft. India is actively modernizing its existing Sukhois, which we manufacture under a Russian license,” Singh said. However, as recently as this spring, he had stated that a final decision on Russia’s proposal had not yet been made.
Prior to this, Vladimir Putin had said that Moscow was ready to supply New Delhi with Su-57 aircraft. According to Defence Security Asia, Russia had hoped to sell India between 36 and 40 next-generation fighters, with the option of subsequent assembly at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited plant in Nashik, where Su-30MKI aircraft are already being produced. The proposal also included technology transfer. Instead, as the publication notes, New Delhi plans to spend funds on purchasing additional French Rafale jets and developing its own fifth-generation fighter, the AMCA.
The Indian authorities made this decision against the backdrop of a shortage of combat aircraft in the Indian Air Force. According to an assessment by Defence Security Asia, India currently has about 29–31 combat squadrons out of a target strength of 42. The shortage has worsened following the retirement of the MiG-21s and the reduction of its fleet of obsolete aircraft.
In turn, the Indian Ministry of Defense decided to modernize the Su-30MKI following their deployment during Operation Sindhur against Pakistan in May 2025, the publication notes. The aircraft were used, among other things, as carriers of BrahMos supersonic missiles.
In total, the Indian Armed Forces operate approximately 260 Su-30MKI fighters. The modernization program, known as Super Sukhoi, involves equipping the aircraft with modern communications systems and Indian-made long-range weapons.
The Su-57 is Russia’s newest multi-role fighter, which entered service with the Aerospace Forces (VKS) in late 2020. By 2024, 22 units had been produced. The CEO of the United Aircraft Corporation (part of Rostec) Vadim Badeha stated that “the Su-57 is the only fifth-generation aircraft participating in actual combat operations,” referring to the war in Ukraine. Putin has called this fighter “the most effective” in the world.
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