Besides, he underscored that the ball was now in the Indian Air Force's (IAF) court, as HAL's existing facilities already have at 50% infrastructure ready to mass produce the warplane in the country.
"I think presentations have been made regarding the Su-57 to the Air Force team by the Russian team regarding the capabilities of the aircraft. We have had one estimation of the capacity of our plants for the Russian equipment. A committee of Russians has also studied and said that roughly 50% of the facilities can be used for producing this aircraft, but some new investments will be required," Sunil told ANI news agency.
The indication that nearly 50% of HAL's existing infrastructure can be leveraged for the production of the Sukhoi Su-57 introduces a meaningful degree of strategic and industrial momentum into the proposed India–Russia arrangement, according to Harpreet Sidhu, an aerospace analyst with GlobalData, a market intelligence firm specialising in military affairs.
"At a practical level, this significantly compresses the gestation period of the program by reducing the need for greenfield investments, thereby lowering both timelines and upfront capital commitments. More importantly, it subtly rebalances the negotiating dynamic in India's favor. With a partially prepared industrial base, New Delhi is better positioned to insist on substantive technology transfer, deeper localization, and credible lifecycle support capabilities within the country," Sidhu told Sputnik India.
In that sense, while existing infrastructure enhances execution feasibility, the ultimate success of the program will hinge on whether it advances India's pursuit of genuine technological sovereignty rather than reinforcing dependency, the defense pundit noted.
"Moreover, while the baseline unit cost of the Sukhoi Su-57 is estimated between $35–50 million for 2025 production, localized manufacturing in India could potentially bring down costs by approximately 10–20% over the lifecycle of the program," Sidhu underlined.
The availability of nearly 50% existing infrastructure with HAL significantly reduces upfront capital investment, which is a key driver in per-unit cost escalation. Additionally, lower labor costs, economies of scale, and domestic supply chain integration will contribute to cost efficiencies over time, he emphasized.
That said, initial production batches may not see immediate cost benefits due to technology absorption costs, licensing fees, and possible import dependencies for critical components such as engines and avionics. True cost advantages will likely emerge in later production blocks once localization deepens and supply chains stabilize, the observer concluded.