Russian-Indian Talks on Su-57 Fifth Generation Fighter Joint Production Reach Advanced Technical Stages

Russian-Indian talks regarding a license production deal for the Su-57 fifth generation fighter to bring Indian Air Force fighter units into the next generation are currently at an advanced stage, according to the CEO of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation Vadim Badekha. He referred to talks as having reached “deep technical stage,” observing: “such contracts, given our experience, determine the trajectory of our cooperation for several decades to come.” The CEO revealed that talks are currently revolving around an agreement for “the production of the Su-57 aircraft in India at the facilities currently used to produce the Su-30 aircraft, and the maximum use of Indian industry and Indian systems in this aircraft.” “Therefore, the contract requires extensive, in-depth study,” he concluded. His statement closely coincides with the signing of a landmark contract for the license production of the Sukhoi SJ-100 superjet civilian airliner in India, and the sale of six Il-114-300 airliners. 

In July 2025 Indian Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh confirmed that talks for Su-57 procurements were ongoing. “These are sensitive negotiations. When they reach a tangible stage, be it [the granting of] an Acceptance of Necessity, [the issuance of] a Request for Proposals (RFP), or [the signing of] a final contract, that is when the media will come to know,” he stated at the time. Four months later in November Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov observed regarding ongoing talks on a Su-57 license production deal: “Intensive work is underway across a range of areas, including the Su-57E platform, which can be utilised to implement India’s program for developing its own fifth-generation fighter.” He added that Russia’s competitive advantage lies in an unprecedented level of technology transfer and localisation of production, which would support the ’Make in India’ and ‘Self-Reliant India’ initiatives. 

Although the Indian Defence Ministry has long shown an interest in the Su-57, particularly from early 2025, the perceived serious underperformance of the county’s newly procured French Rafale fighters during clashes with Pakistan in May that year are considered likely to have been a major factor increasing interest in rapidly acquiring the aircraft, as well as in expanding its S-400 surface-to-air missile arsenal. Alongside the Rafale, the current most capable fighter in the Indian fleet is the Su-30MKI, which although considered world leading in its performance when first brought into service in 2002, is considered increasingly out of date compared to modern Chinese fighters, including the J-10C fighters supplied to Pakistan. China began to field indigenous fifth generation fighters in 2017, and has rapidly improved the capabilities of its aircraft and expanded the numbers in service, with the J-20 currently widely considered the world’s most capable in terms of its air-to-air performance.  

Indian media outlets have reported that a license production deal could begin with the sale of two squadrons of Su-57s built in Russia, each of 20 fighters, which would be followed by a further five squadrons produced locally. This would mirror the procurement of Su-30MKI fighters, which similarly saw an initial agreement reached for 140 fighters, of which approximately 50 were built in Russia before deliveries from local production lines commenced. The Indian Defence Ministry later expanded orders to over 270 aircraft, setting a precedent for a possible similar expansion of Su-57 orders. The Russian Defence Ministry in May 2025 made an unprecedented offer to provide full access to the Su-57’s source code as part of a large license production deal with India, providing full autonomy in operating and customising the aircraft. Extensive customisation in India may potentially be followed by contracts to allow Indian-built aircraft integrating local avionics and weaponry to be exported, allowing the aircraft to compete for exports to countries which for political reasons cannot consider procuring Russian-built fighters.