Russia Plans to Propose G2G Sale of 60-70 Su-57E 5th-Gen Fighter Jets to India During Putin Visit

Russia is preparing to offer India a substantial Government-to-Government (G2G) deal for the sale of 60-70 Su-57E fifth-generation fighter jets during President Vladimir Putin's anticipated visit in early 2025, according to sources familiar with the matter.

This proposal marks a renewed Russian effort to deepen defence cooperation with India, particularly in the realm of advanced combat aircraft, following India's withdrawal from the joint Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) program in 2018.

The proposed deal comes as the Indian Air Force (IAF) grapples with a concerning depletion of its combat squadron strength, currently below the sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons. Russian officials have indicated that the offer aims to address this shortfall by providing a swift infusion of advanced air power, with a suggested number of 60-70 Su-57E jets.

The Su-57E is the export variant of the Sukhoi Su-57 (NATO reporting name: Felon), a single-seat, twin-engine, multirole fighter aircraft designed for air superiority and attack operations. Developed by Sukhoi, part of Russia's United Aircraft Corporation, the Su-57 is touted as a stealth-capable aircraft with supercruise, super-maneuverability, and advanced avionics to overcome prior generation fighter aircraft as well as ground and naval defenses.

The jets offered to India are slated to be equipped with the advanced AL-51F engines. These engines are being promoted as true fifth-generation powerplants, promising enhanced thrust-to-weight ratio, fuel efficiency, and stealth characteristics.

Russia is reportedly prepared to offer the Su-57E at a price point significantly lower than that of the French Dassault Rafale, a 4.5-generation twin-engine fighter already in service with the IAF.

This competitive pricing, combined with the advanced capabilities of the Su-57E, could make the Russian offer attractive to the Indian defence establishment, which is constantly evaluating options to modernize its military hardware.

To meet the potential demand, Russia is actively expanding its Su-57 production capabilities. Sources suggest that annual production is slated to increase from the current 15 units to 25 units in the coming years, potentially enabling faster delivery schedules for any potential Indian order.

The offer represents a revival of Russian efforts to engage India in high-end defence technology transfers, following the collapse of the ambitious FGFA project.

The FGFA program, intended to develop a tailored two-seat variant of the Su-57 for the IAF, was abandoned by India in 2018 due to concerns regarding delays, escalating costs, technology transfer issues, and whether the platform truly met fifth-generation fighter specifications. According to open sources, the FGFA project was estimated to cost over $6 billion.

Russian officials have been actively lobbying for the Su-57E since then, emphasizing the aircraft's advancements and arguing that it now meets India's stringent requirements for a next-generation combat platform.

While the Su-57 made its maiden flight in 2010, full-scale production was delayed due to technical difficulties. The aircraft first saw combat during the Syrian civil war in 2018, and has reportedly been used in the ongoing war in Ukraine. It officially entered service with the Russian Aerospace Forces in December 2020.

The proposal also arrives at a crucial juncture for the IAF, which is looking for interim solutions to bolster its air power while its indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program, aimed at developing a domestic fifth-generation fighter, is still in the development phase. The first flight of the AMCA is not expected until at least 2027, with service entry not anticipated until the 2030s. An acquisition of the Su-57E could potentially serve as a stop-gap measure until the AMCA is fully operational.

The potential sale of the Su-57E to India will be closely watched by global defence analysts, as it could significantly impact the regional balance of power and shape the future of Indo-Russian defence ties. The deal's success hinges on various factors, including the final price, technology transfer agreements, and India's assessment of the Su-57E's capabilities in relation to its operational requirements and the evolving geopolitical landscape.

 

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[beencensured]

Wonderful news.

Now its slowly becoming clear that our DPSUs can not produce a 5th generation fighter jet in-house.

All those articles about how AMCA will be ultra stealthy and how it will be a wonder-weapon to rule the earth were pure bollocks.!!

I see a repeat of Su-30 MKI happening in the 5th generation aircraft space as well.

The AMCA program is at a stage that it will not be canceled, but the GOI is realizing late what it should have realized and planned: to start ordering aircraft in 2014 for adequate numbers today. Another quick band-aid fix without any near-term cure. For example, the Americans and Chinese planned and realized that India announced six nuclear attack submarines, then America created AUKUS and is trying to achieve a two-plus submarines a year production rate. So is China following, increasing its rate of production, but then India's Modi government slacks, and now they change from an announced six to two. By the way, the Indian submarines cost nearly the same as the Americans'. The world reacts, anticipates risk, and mitigates those risks. Modi's "chalta hai" attitude, with his bygone colonial-era babus eating chai and samosas, lording around living like it's before the era of satellites, radio, and electricity, having half-wit advisors...

 

[Bhupesh Desai]

India should take it for 2 squadrons with ToT and use this technology to leapfrog AMCA.

 

[desigandu]

The Chinese bought 36 Su-35S jets just for their engine and other technology to reverse engineer it - could that be an option, say 36 Su-57s but with AL-51 engines and integration of Indian weapons and radar with MRO and some TOT etc.! Could be expensive but the Russians seem desperate and may cut a deal - we should also get the zircon HCM tech and maybe Orenshik FOB if possible! But it will definitely be cheaper than Rafales (which will be around $250M per jet) under MRFA which can be reduced to about 90 - which in any case won’t start before 2032, whereas Russia may supply 36 Su-57s before 2030!

It is good that Russia is a pariah with the west and has limited markets which means Bharat can push harder and get good military, space and nuclear tech while buying lots of cheap oil! Ukraine war and tensions in Taiwan and SCS actually bolster Bharat’s importance with the west! We must exploit it and grow faster to $10T GDP by 2035, with a commensurate Military budget!

 

[Surendra Barsode]

India has to recover some 300 million USD which it paid to Russia earlier for participating in the Su 50 program. So in case Russian offer covers this aspect and Su 57 is cheapest of all and there is TOT with local production of AL 51 engines, then it is a good deal under MRFA.

 

[Rational Guy]

I think India should go with 20-30 SU57E and 30-40 Rafales. This should make us be in a decent position until AMCA comes in 2035.

 

[beencensured]

The Chinese bought 36 Su-35S jets just for their engine and other technology to reverse engineer it - could that be an option, say 36 Su-57s but with AL-51 engines and integration of Indian weapons and radar with MRO and some TOT etc.! Could be expensive but the Russians seem desperate and may cut a deal - we should also get the zircon HCM tech and maybe Orenshik FOB if possible! But it will definitely be cheaper than Rafales (which will be around $250M per jet) under MRFA which can be reduced to about 90 - which in any case won’t start before 2032, whereas Russia may supply 36 Su-57s before 2030!

It is good that Russia is a pariah with the west and has limited markets which means Bharat can push harder and get good military, space and nuclear tech while buying lots of cheap oil! Ukraine war and tensions in Taiwan and SCS actually bolster Bharat’s importance with the west! We must exploit it and grow faster to $10T GDP by 2035, with a commensurate Military budget!

Unfortunately, our bureaucratic country is too sticky and not flexible in encouraging indigenous development. They still live in the time of Nehru and Indira, who believed that Indians were incapable, though wireless communication/semiconductors were invented and first used by Jagadish Chandra Bose. Bosons, one of the most fundamental properties of nature with Bose condensation, were first identified and described by SN Bose, CV Raman, and many other greats, with India having made the first jet plane and nuclear reactor in Asia, not forgetting mathematics, knowledge of time dilation (day of Brahma), and scientific evolution written in the fossil record with a common ancestor Manu for humans, Kashyap Rishi (land animals), and Brahma (for all life forms). Unfortunately, the poor quality of the educational system, biased and bigoted with hatred toward Hindus, spews lies and not history without facts, and doesn't take a balanced view like Victorian learning from India the benefits of universal education. Their conversion system stopped and destroyed the Hindu educational system but forgets racism, genocide, feudalism, and the burning of libraries in Western and Islamic cultures. We have seen demonstrations of J-16 engines not performing to standards as advertised by the Chinese, not matching foreign counterparts but still used. Still, China would rather use poor-performing engines that are their own, as that develops their industries. Basically, the Kaveri is ten percent less powerful than the GE-414 with 80kn wet thrust and can be used as a substitute, though it may not be ideal. Even Americans huff about the actual real performance of the GE-414 engine being less than 90kn.