Overview
- Defence sources say Russian agencies are conducting internal assessments to determine the funding needed to manufacture Su-57 fighters in India, with no agreement announced.
- India has outlined a need for two to three squadrons of fifth‑generation jets, with the Russian Su‑57 and the American F‑35 identified as contenders.
- HAL’s Nashik facility, which assembles Su‑30MKI aircraft, is viewed as a potential hub for local Su‑57 production, and other Indian plants handling Russian‑origin systems could be leveraged to lower costs.
- India previously exited the joint FGFA effort with Russia over cost and technology‑transfer concerns, and sources suggest a revival is possible depending on terms.
- The assessments come as New Delhi deepens defence discussions with Moscow on systems like the S‑400 and S‑500, faces U.S. tariff pressure under President Donald Trump, and advances its indigenous AMCA program targeting a first flight by 2028 and induction by 2035.