Why India Didn't Reverse Engineered Sukhoi Su-30MKI Like China did with Su-30MKK

India and China, both significant military powers in Asia, have taken contrasting paths in their acquisition and utilization of the Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet program.

While China opted to reverse-engineer the less advanced Su-30MKK variant to develop its own indigenous versions, India pursued a different approach focused on technology transfer and long-term self-reliance.

India's decision to engage in a complex technology transfer agreement with Russia for the Su-30MKI program aimed to achieve more than just the assembly of the aircraft domestically. It sought to gain the knowledge and expertise necessary to design and develop future generations of fighter jets indigenously. This strategic move aligns with India's ambition to become a major player in the global aerospace industry.

Conversely, China's approach prioritised a faster acquisition of the Su-30MKK variant and cost savings through reverse engineering. While this allowed for the rapid development of indigenous variants like the J-11 and J-16, it may not have resulted in a complete transfer of knowledge or the ability to design entirely new aircraft.

The contrasting approaches of India and China to the Su-30MKI program underscore their differing strategic priorities. China's focus on faster acquisition and cost savings contrasts with India's emphasis on technology transfer and long-term self-reliance. The long-term success of each approach remains to be seen.

India's experience gained through the Su-30MKI program is now being leveraged in ambitious programs like the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), which aims to develop a 5th generation fighter jet indigenously.

 

[PKPRS]

Wish our DPSU’s knew how to, we also license built atleast 10 foreign engines, did we copy any of those engines.

 

[sanket]

Apart from approach Funds are too are important factors Building Test facilities pumping more money in R&D . which china did it India does protect IPR & respect too which China wont.

 

[ramdas]

India's self-righteous attitude is proving to be very costly for the country. In the field of pharmaceuticals, India has successfully launched numerous drugs, solidifying its position as a global pharmacy.

 

[Pramkumar]

China approaches already prove they won the race

 

[abhinav srivastava]

China is building its own engines, 5th jet jet fighters. They are not limiting to that. They are developing a complete ecosystem for electronics/chips, civilian and military air crafts. Now west can make a batti of sanctions on China and put them inside wests own ****.

 

[Ravindra Singh]

Copy do not mean anything. from childhood to young age every one learn from others by copy or by reading etc. Every scientist first reads book and then do R& D, without book can he do R & D?

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

India's self-righteous attitude is proving to be very costly for the country. In the field of pharmaceuticals, India has successfully launched numerous drugs, solidifying its position as a global pharmacy.

What self righteous attitude? This is just an example of how bad our state owned enterprises are.

 

[Anant]

China was able to reverse engineer the aircraft because they had a larger aircraft industry, were willing to invest money to experiment, and did not care about IPR.

Initially, when the Chinese started building aircraft like the MiG-15, MiG-17, MiG-19, and MiG-21 under license, the Russians transferred all technology of the older engines used in these aircraft models to the Chinese. Oh, and that technology involved all aspects, including know-how for the engine cores.

With these things, the Chinese started building and exporting J-7s, and the Soviets let that continue since the MiG-21 was already an older aircraft. In the late 1980s and 1990s, China started buying Su-27s and Su-30s, and the Russians were happy to let them buy a few aircraft and let China build the jets under license. This time, though, engine technology was not being shared. The Chinese had been working on the local WS-10 engines (derived from the failed WS-6 project).

Soon, the Chinese started building the J-11B, which was essentially an unlicensed Su-27 copy. The Russians were not happy, and stopped further sales. However, China soon hit another roadblock in terms of engine technology, and decided to copy the AL-41 engines used on the Su-35s. The Russians knew full well what was going to happen when the Chinese approached them to buy the Su-35s, and asked for a legal guarantee against copying as well as atleast 48 aircraft being purchased. However, Russia needed China more than the other way around by then, and so 24 aircraft and spare engines were purchased with no legal guarantee against copying. The Chinese seem to have since copied aspects of the AL-41 into the WS-10C.

Edit: Changed WS-20 to WS-10C, as pointed out in a correction.

 

[Utopian]

Crux of matter, china is always pragmatic.. always smarter and always to the point, thus always achieves. India have writers like this, who write after getting high the great proses for pathetic indian culture of lossing and delaying

 

[desigandu]

Without getting into the morals, ethics, motivations etc of reverse engineering - look at where China is today with J-20 program and where we are with the AMCA program…our military-industrial capacity and capability are about 10-20 years behind China - material fact, that we must address fast…

 

[desigandu]

China was able to reverse engineer the aircraft because they had a larger aircraft industry, were willing to invest money to experiment, and did not care about IPR.

Initially, when the Chinese started building aircraft like the MiG-15, MiG-17, MiG-19, and MiG-21 under license, the Russians transferred all technology of the older engines used in these aircraft models to the Chinese. Oh, and that technology involved all aspects, including know-how for the engine cores.

With these things, the Chinese started building and exporting J-7s, and the Soviets let that continue since the MiG-21 was already an older aircraft. In the late 1980s and 1990s, China started buying Su-27s and Su-30s, and the Russians were happy to let them buy a few aircraft and let China build the jets under license. This time, though, engine technology was not being shared. The Chinese had been working on the local WS-10 engines (derived from the failed WS-6 project).

Soon, the Chinese started building the J-11B, which was essentially an unlicensed Su-27 copy. The Russians were not happy, and stopped further sales. However, China soon hit another roadblock in terms of engine technology, and decided to copy the AL-41 engines used on the Su-35s. The Russians knew full well what was going to happen when the Chinese approached them to buy the Su-35s, and asked for a legal guarantee against copying as well as atleast 48 aircraft being purchased. However, Russia needed China more than the other way around by then, and so 24 aircraft and spare engines were purchased with no legal guarantee against copying. The Chinese seem to have since copied aspects of the AL-41 into the WS-10C.

Edit: Changed WS-20 to WS-10C, as pointed out in a correction.

China had the smarter approach resulting in their industrial capability and capacity that is 10-20 years ahead of us…they spent money but were clear that they wanted self reliance, which they have now…we can argue about quality, cutting edge etc., but in time they have achieved a lot…therefore, we must vigorously pursue our national interest the best we can to bridge the industrial gap…

 

[desigandu]

Wish our DPSU’s knew how to, we also license built atleast 10 foreign engines, did we copy any of those engines.

Agree, stupid decisions by us has resulted in poor industrial capacity…

 

[RalphRearden]

lol..the writer must be rear ended by a stark reality...........HAL has zero, and i repeat, zero understanding of SU30MKI in terms of aerodynamics, engine, radar, avionics. They are a glorified scredriver assembly shop with absolutely no idea about why a part has been designed they way it is on Su-30. Joke of a company.

The entire Su upgrade program with indigeneous avionics, IRST, and radar led by DRDA is coming, not from learnings from SU assembly, but by the blood and sweat spent on Tejas development.

Lets just agree....HAL is a glorified garage for repair and assmbly when it comes to planes. Before solving a problem, one must acknowledge that there is one.

The chopper division is better because French actually hand held the HAL in designing the Dhruv. Still HAL has zero understanding of engine and they asemble it.

 

[wallisk]

Current reality is that CCP completed FC-1 LCA jet and then, JF17 Blk3, J10D ; J20D, JC31 GyrFalcon, JC35 Naval stealth jet; and H20 stealth flying wing bomber planes, while India is STILL struggling to operationalize LCA combat battle capable jet; even after 42 years of continuous developments. Also, CCP have a working space shuttle, Space Station & Laboratory, and will send Cosmonauts to walk on Monn before India!!

 

[wallisk]

This is becoz Indian "fake" engineers are "google computer science and engineering" grads & experts at googling for software codes and for writing their dissertation thesis. Nowadays, ChatGpt will write entire codes of software and Masters-PhD thesis or scientific papers also!

 

[kumar]

Because we don't violate IP rights but ch!nese blatantly do it.

 

[wallisk]

Without getting into the morals, ethics, motivations etc of reverse engineering - look at where China is today with J-20 program and where we are with the AMCA program…our military-industrial capacity and capability are about 10-20 years behind China - material fact, that we must address fast…

Bhakt's here will not accept this simple fact. In Year 2004 CCP Govt came begging to UPA govt for joint LCA fbw s/w developments. In 2024 CCP have already completed FC-1 LCA jet ; JF17Blk3 ; J10D ; J20D ; JC31 GyrFalcon & JC35 Naval stealth jet. AND also, a H20 flying wing stealth bomber. Whereas, ADA-HAL are STILL struggling to operationalize their 1983 designs of LCA MK1 combat-battle ready version jet!!!

 

[Anant]

China had the smarter approach resulting in their industrial capability and capacity that is 10-20 years ahead of us…they spent money but were clear that they wanted self reliance, which they have now…we can argue about quality, cutting edge etc., but in time they have achieved a lot…therefore, we must vigorously pursue our national interest the best we can to bridge the industrial gap…

Their MIC is considerably more than 10-20 years ahead of us. In many ways, we are (atleast in MIC terms) where China was in the mid-1980s.

 

[Puneet]

Why keep comparing with china. We have the potential to overtake them. Start working at it