Putin Offers India Joint Production of Su-57 Stealth Fighter, Signals Unrestricted Defence Cooperation
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday renewed Moscow’s offer to India for the joint production of the Su-57, Russia’s most sophisticated fifth-generation stealth combat aircraft.
Emphasising Russia’s willingness to deepen defence ties, Putin said cooperation could move forward without any limitations or conditions.
The proposal comes at a time when India is exploring ways to address a potential shortage of advanced fighter jets in the coming decade, particularly before its homegrown Advanced Multirole Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme becomes operational, which is expected only after 2035.
Speaking about earlier discussions with New Delhi, Putin said Russia had proposed a collaborative programme to develop and manufacture the Su-57 alongside India.
According to him, Moscow viewed the aircraft as one of the most capable fighter platforms currently available.
“We offered our Indian partners the opportunity to jointly develop this fifth-generation fighter.
In my view, it is among the finest aircraft of its kind in service today. However, our Indian friends preferred to take time and evaluate the proposal,” Putin was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
He further noted that the aircraft could have evolved into a flagship Russia-India defence project.
While Russia ultimately developed the fighter independently, Putin stressed that Moscow remains open to joint production, technological cooperation and future development with India.
“This could have become a shared product of Russia and India. We completed the programme on our own, but we remain fully prepared to work together with India.
We are open to collaboration, development and production without imposing any restrictions,” he said.
The Su-57 is Russia’s premier stealth fighter jet and is designed to compete with advanced Western platforms, including the American F-35.
The aircraft features low-observable technology, advanced avionics and multirole combat capabilities aimed at modern battlefield requirements.
According to the PTI report, India has not completely ruled out Russia’s proposal.
Sources indicate that state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) continues to maintain communication with Russia’s Sukhoi Design Bureau regarding potential areas of cooperation.
The report also suggested that the Indian government is evaluating the possibility of acquiring at least two squadrons of the Su-57, amounting to roughly 36 aircraft.
Any procurement decision, however, would depend on the fighter meeting the Indian Air Force’s operational and technical requirements.
India’s indigenous AMCA project, envisioned as the country’s first fifth-generation stealth fighter, is still under development and is not expected to enter service before the mid-2030s.
Defence planners believe this timeline could create a capability gap in the Indian Air Force’s combat fleet, prompting consideration of interim solutions such as the Su-57.
India and Russia had previously worked together on the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) programme, a joint initiative based on the Su-57 platform.
However, New Delhi formally exited the project in 2021, citing concerns related to development costs, technology transfer arrangements and certain performance parameters.
Despite the earlier setback, Putin’s latest remarks indicate that Moscow remains keen to revive high-level defence collaboration with India and sees the Su-57 as a potential cornerstone of future strategic cooperation between the two countries.
