The Indian Air Force (IAF), which has been facing a severe fighter squadron shortage, operating around 30 squadrons—well below the sanctioned strength of 42—appears to have not given up on the Russian fifth-generation Su-57 offer, despite official claims of not actively pursuing a deal.
Delays in key indigenous programmes, particularly the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), have prompted India to look for stop-gap measures, including the Russian stealth fighter jet.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chairman and Managing Director D. K. Sunil has recently confirmed that a Russian delegation has reviewed the details of a potential collaboration between HAL and Russia for the supply of the fifth-generation fighter jet, and a quotation from the Russian side is awaited regarding the investment.
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In an interview with news agency ANI, he said the Russian side has made a presentation to the IAF regarding the capabilities of the fighter jet.
"We have had one estimation of the capacity of our plants for the Russian equipment. A committee of Russians has also studied and said that roughly 50 per cent of the facilities can be used for producing this aircraft, but some new investments will be required," he was quoted as saying.
He said HAL is awaiting a quotation from Russia regarding the investment, and then "we will approach the Air Force that these are the kind of numbers required to produce these aircraft and these are the timelines."
India and Russia have a robust defence relationship, with a military-technical cooperation agreement for 2021–2031 focusing on joint research, development, production, and after-sales support of weapons and military equipment.
Over the years, the longstanding and wide-ranging military technical cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow has evolved from a buyer-seller framework to one involving joint research, development, and production of advanced defence technologies and systems. The prime example of this relationship is the BrahMos missile, jointly developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya. The Sukhoi Su-30MKI multi-role fighter aircraft is another major pillar of this partnership, with licensed production carried out by HAL.
However, any decision will likely hinge on costs, technology transfer, and how it aligns with the timelines of the indigenous AMCA programme, which continues to be India’s primary long-term bet.