What should India choose for its fighter crisis?
Seven years after India pulled out of a joint stealth fighter jet program with Russia, saying the Su-57 “Felon” was not advanced enough, New Delhi has surprisingly returned to the negotiating table. The irony has not gone unnoticed by defense analysts.
Seven years after India pulled out of a joint stealth fighter jet program with Russia, saying the Su-57 “Felon” was not advanced enough, New Delhi has surprisingly returned to the negotiating table. The irony has not gone unnoticed by defense analysts. India had rejected the same aircraft in 2018 over concerns about its stealth capabilities and performance, but now appears ready to reconsider. The question everyone asks is simple: What has changed?
According to the latest reports from United 24 Media and Defense Express, Russia is aggressively offering India a deal for 84 Su-57 jets. The proposal includes two fleets delivered directly from Russia and three to five fleets potentially manufactured in India through Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Russia is sweetening the offer with significant technology transfers and even agreeing to integrate Indian-made missiles into the aircraft. Moscow is doing its best for a country that depends on foreign funding to keep its troubled stealth program alive.
But here’s the thing. India is not rethinking the Su-57 just because it suddenly discovered stealth capabilities. According to The Print, this interest stems from a more practical crisis. With the retirement of aging MiG-21 jets, India faces a growing gap in its fighter fleet. The country’s own Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft program will not be ready until well beyond 2035, leaving the Indian Air Force in a difficult position. Sometimes necessity gets in the way of perfection, and this seems to be one of those times.
The troubled journey of the Su-57 began with Russia’s decision to take a shortcut. Rather than designing an entirely new fifth-generation fighter from scratch, Russian engineers chose to substantially modify the existing Su-27 design. They reshaped the wings, reconfigured the tail, reconfigured the interiors, and even filled the space between the engines to create internal weapons bays for stealth. There was no denying that this approach was cheaper and faster, but it came with compromises that have dogged the program ever since.
Former U.S. Air Force technician Damien Leimbach compared this strategy to the Soviet Union’s approach in the 1960s, when it built nuclear reactors without proper safety measures to save time and money. The model of cutting corners for speed and cost savings is deeply rooted in Russian military development philosophy. This means delivering results quickly while acknowledging underlying limitations that often cannot be easily corrected later.
The Su-57 program has encountered numerous setbacks. Delays in development have dragged on for years, with a prototype crashing in 2019 and the aircraft playing only a marginal role in Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, although mass production is officially set to begin in 2022. In a recent public relations move clearly aimed at attracting buyers, Russia has released rare photos of the Su-57’s internal weapons bays for the first time. These images, shared on pro-Kremlin social media and reported by Defense Blog, appear designed to prove the maturity of the program and attract foreign investment that Moscow urgently needs.
Exposing the weapons bay is important because internal storage is crucial for stealth. Although the Su-57 can carry missiles and bombs to hardpoints on the outer wing, doing so significantly increases its radar signature and defeats the entire purpose of the stealth design. Multiple internal bulkheads between the air intakes and near the wings allow the jet to carry weapons while maintaining a low radar profile. The fact that Russia has so far kept these bays secret during air shows and public events speaks volumes about the program’s sensitivity to criticism.
India’s potential return to the Su-57 line would represent a dramatic reversal, but it would also be without precedent in the complicated India-Russia defense relationship. HAL’s existing partnership with the Sukhoi Bureau could streamline the manufacturing process, and Russia’s willingness to integrate Indian weapons systems addresses one of New Delhi’s key sovereignty concerns. But experts warn that India should instead focus on accelerating its domestic AMCA program through increased investment and streamlined development.
Russia is not putting all its eggs in India’s basket. According to The National Interest, Algeria has also reportedly agreed to purchase Su-57s, according to documents leaked by pro-Ukrainian hacking group Black Mirror. Algeria’s air force has long been dependent on Russian aircraft, and with regional rival Morocco’s interest in American F-35s, Algeria is feeling pressure to modernize. The same leaked documents revealed Russia’s plans to sell MiG-29 and Su-35 fighter jets to Iran, demonstrating Moscow’s aggressive push for export sales.
Speaking of the F-35, America’s own stealth fighter jet isn’t exactly trouble-free either. Lockheed Martin’s Lightning II faced cost overruns, technical problems, and operational limitations. The program’s development costs made it one of the most expensive military projects in history. The first F-35s required extensive retrofits, the jet had oxygen system problems, and gun accuracy issues were taking years to resolve. The point is not that the Su-57 is equal to the F-35 in capability, most analysts agree that it is not, but rather that developing advanced stealth fighters is extraordinarily difficult for anyone, including the United States.
For India, the choice is not just between a flawed Russian option and a perfect American alternative. The F-35 comes with conditions, including restrictions on modifications and technology transfers, that India has generally resisted. Despite its limitations, the Su-57 offers greater flexibility for customization and local production. Neither option is ideal; This explains why India continues to develop AMCA despite the slow progress of the program.
The broader strategic picture is also important. India has carefully maintained its defense relations with both Russia and the West, refusing to put all its security eggs in one basket. The acquisition of the Su-57 will help maintain this balance while addressing urgent fleet shortages. Whether this pragmatic approach ultimately serves India’s long-term interests is hotly debated among defense experts.
Russia’s secret warrior saga shows how financial constraints and strategic impatience can jeopardize even ambitious military programs. The Su-57 exists because Russia chose evolution over revolution, modification over innovation. India is now facing its own version of this trade-off, deciding whether a current imperfect solution is better than waiting for a theoretical perfect solution that may come too late.
(The author of this article is a Defense, Aerospace and Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also the Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach him at: girishlinganna@gmail.com)
(Disclaimer: The views expressed above belong to the author and do not reflect the views of DNA)
