Russia has offered to manufacture its fifth-generation Su-57 stealth fighter jet for the Indian Air Force amid deepening ties between Moscow and New Delhi, Reuters reported on Feb. 11, citing two officials.
The fighter jet, which would be produced in India, comes as informal conversations continue between Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport and Indian government officials for the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics, a Russian industry source told Reuters.
A spokesperson for Rosoboronexport confirmed that production of the aircraft may begin as early as this year if India agrees to a deal.
For years, Russia has been the largest arms supplier to India, although sanctions implemented on Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine have forced India to search out weapons supplies from Western countries.
The Su-57, Russia’s most modern fighter jet, has faced criticism as being plagued with mechanical challenges. The first non-prototype version crashed during a test flight in December 2019, and has been dubbed by some experts as the "worst of the world’s stealth fighters."
In June 2024, a Russian versions of the aircraft were reportedly damaged after a Ukrainian strike on the Akhtubinsk airfield in the Astrakhan region in southern Russia, 589 kilometers from the front line.
India previously withdrew from the project to co-develop and produce the aircraft with Russia.
Despite this, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought to boost defense spending and production as longstanding regional tensions with Pakistan and China persist.
Chris York
While India has maintained its call for a diplomatic resolution to Russia's war against Ukraine, it continues to deepen economic ties with Moscow.
Modi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in July. The two countries identified nine areas for enhanced cooperation, ranging from nuclear energy to medicine.
India and Russia also aim to boost bilateral trade by over 50%, targeting $100 billion annually by 2030.
In December 2024, Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft and Indian refining giant Reliance Industries have finalized a landmark agreement to supply 500,000 barrels of oil daily for the next 10 years, marking the largest energy partnership between the two nations.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
