August 4, 2026, 6:02 pm
In 2010, India and Russia launched the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) program under an agreement involving Sukhoi Design Bureau, Rosoboronexport, and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The project envisioned a twin-seat derivative of the Su-57 tailored to India’s requirements, with both countries contributing approximately $295 million each toward the preliminary design phase. However, after years of concerns over the aircraft’s performance, technology transfer, and overall capability, India exited the program in 2018.
Speculation resurfaced recently that New Delhi might reconsider the Su-57 to help offset the Indian Air Force’s declining fighter squadron strength and provide a counterbalance to China’s growing fleet of J-20 stealth fighters. Those reports, however, have now been effectively dismissed.
India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh made it clear in late July that the government has no plans to procure new Sukhoi fighter variants, signaling that the focus will instead remain on upgrading the Indian Air Force’s Su-30MKI fleet.
Singh said when asked about acquiring new Sukhoi fighters, “No, we have not thought about Sukhois”. He added that India was "actively looking at upgrading the existing Sukhois which we have been producing under licence from the Russians."
The remarks represent a notable shift from Singh’s position in March 2026, when he said the government had not yet reached a final decision on competing fighter proposals from Russia, the United States, and France. His latest comments indicate that the Su-57 is no longer under serious consideration in the near term.
For Russia, the decision is another setback in the Su-57’s export campaign. Despite repeated public backing from President Vladimir Putin, the aircraft has struggled to secure international buyers.
In this video, Defense Updates analyzes why India has shut the door on potential acquisition of Russian Su-57 ?
#defenseupdates #su57 #su57india
Chapters:
0:00 TITLE
00:11 INTRODUCTION
02:21 SPONSORSHIP – NordVPN
02:55 UNCONVINCING STEALTH CHARACTERISTICS
04:26 CORE COMPONENTS ARE NOT MATURE YET
07:11 RUSSIAN PLATFORMS HAVE LOW COMBAT AVAILABILITY
09:21 PROPER AMMUNITION MISSING
10:41 PERFORMANCE IN UKRAINE NOT PROMISING
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