Talks on Indian-made Su-57s at advanced stage – Russian aircraft giant
Discussions between Moscow and New Delhi on manufacturing Sukhoi Su-57 aircraft in India are at an advanced stage, the head of a Russian aircraft giant has told TASS.
The aircraft is actively employed in the Russian operation against Ukraine and is being prepared for expanded export deliveries.
Negotiations for the supply and production of the Su-57 fighter jet in the South Asian nation are at a “deep technical stage,” Vadim Badekha, CEO of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), told TASS on the sidelines of the Wings India aviation exhibition in the southern city of Hyderabad.
“Such contracts, given our experience, determine the trajectory of our cooperation for several decades to come,” Badekha stated.
He added that the talks revolve around “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,” Badekha said.
Russia’s Il-114-300 and the import-substituting SJ-100 aircraft were unveiled at the Hyderabad airshow on Thursday. India’s state-backed Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) entered into a joint venture with UAC to manufacture Sukhoi SJ-100 superjets and also signed a deal to supply six Ilyushin aircraft to an Indian firm during the aero exhibition.
Russia first began Su-57 exports in 2025, with deliveries to Algeria.
At the Dubai Airshow in November, Moscow announced an offer of full licensed production of the Su-57 in India, along with unrestricted transfer of technology – a level of access no Western defense partner has ever offered India.
The developments are in line with an Indian initiative to boost domestic production capabilities. Nearly 60% of the defense hardware of the Indian Armed Forces is Soviet/Russian origin, while 45% of the IAF’s fighter fleet is currently made up of the Sukhoi SU-30MKI air superiority fighter.
