Has India Locked and Barreled the Su-57 For Its Stealth Aircraft Requirements?

Multiple factors, including the Indian Air Force's (IAF) dwindling squadron strength, and the production of India's very own stealth fighter still at least a decade away, are driving the Indian military establishment towards acquiring the Su-57 Felon from Russia, experts have said.

Given the urgency shown by the country's top military brass and political leadership following Operation Sindoor, where air warfare proved to be the decisive factor in India's favour, there is an urgent need to actually bring in a new-generation fighter aircraft with stealth features into the IAF, the defence pundit explained.

"While the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is working on the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), India's indigenous 5.5 generation stealth fighter, it will not materialise before 2035-40. Hence, in the interim period before the AMCA finally takes shape, India needs a fifth-generation aircraft," Matheswaran underscored.

What makes India interested in the Su-57 is the need to maintain the balance of power with its adversaries, former IAF Group Captain Dr. DK Pandey — now Senior Fellow at the Centre for Aerospace Power and Strategic Studies (CAPSS) — believes.

This underscores the importance of acquiring a fifth-generation platform to ensure both strategic deterrence and regional stability, he told Sputnik India.

"Operational experiences during recent conflicts showed weaknesses in India's present fleet against sophisticated air defence and stealth threats, making the need for a fifth-generation fighter even more urgent," Pandey stressed.

Russia’s offer of weapons integration, licensed production, and unrestricted tech transfer bolsters India’s defence self-reliance and domestic industry, the think tanker said.

The Numbers Game

India's talks with Russia concerning the Su-57 Felon aren't just about getting a few squadrons; they're also about setting up a local assembly line at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL) Nashik plant, he emphasised.

"Two squadrons of Fly Away planes and 120–140 Make in India jets seem like a big enough number to make it worth making them in India. Producing over 100 aircraft domestically ensures cost amortisation across tooling, training, and supply chains," Pandey assessed.

They would be strategically important and could enable India to sell the planes to friendly countries, boosting defence diplomacy and strengthening the domestic production ecosystem, the observer summed up.

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