India gives tepid response to Russian push for Su-57, long-range drones and submarines

Russia’s latest move to expand defense cooperation, including proposals for the Su-57 fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, long-range unmanned aerial vehicles and submarines, has received a lukewarm response from India, officials familiar with the matter said.

Ahead of President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to India, Moscow has repeatedly promoted platforms such as the Geran series of kamikaze drones, submarines and aircraft, a senior official said.

“India has not shown much interest in the equipment offered by Russia. The Russians were expecting a big move during the visit and are still following the suggestions. We are focusing more on the development of domestic products,” the official said.

The much-anticipated defense statements during Putin’s visit did not materialize despite high expectations. While 19 agreements aimed at boosting bilateral trade were signed, there was no progress on cooperation covering the Su-57 or Russia’s S-500 air defense system.

The restrained response comes at a time when India is making an aggressive move towards self-reliance in defense production.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted the transformation in domestic capacity while dedicating the newly completed 125 Border Roads Organization (BRO) project to the country in Leh on Sunday, December 7, 2025.

paradigm shift

He highlighted that India, once heavily dependent on arms imports, now has a record defense production value of ₹ 1.51 lakh crore, up from ₹ 46,000 crore in 2014. Defense exports rose from less than ₹ 1,000 crore to nearly ₹ 24,000 crore in a decade. This reflects a paradigm shift.

Geran drones, Russia’s indigenous version of Iran’s Shahed-136 kamikaze drones, have played a major role in Moscow’s low-cost attrition strategy in Ukraine, enabling mass salvo attacks. However, Indian manufacturers and services have not shown interest in purchasing them.

Earlier, on October 29, the 23rd Working Group Meeting of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation was held in Moscow. Co-chaired by Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar and First Deputy Director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Andrey A. Boytsov, the discussions covered tri-service cooperation and defense R&D.

The meeting concluded with the signing of a Protocol outlining new areas of cooperation and mutual growth, although major defense agreements remain elusive.