The AL-31F engine, manufactured by Russia's United Engine Corporation (UEC) NPO Saturn, is a vital component of India's Su-30 MKI fighter jets, which form a significant part of the Indian Air Force (IAF) fleet.
As India plans to operate these aircraft for potentially four more decades, the long-term maintenance and availability of these engines raise important questions about intellectual property rights (IPR), India's technological capabilities, and Russia's differing defence relationships...