India has no plans to purchase new Russian Sukhoi fighters in the near future, including the Su-57, and intends to focus on upgrading the existing Su-30MKI fleet. This was stated by the Secretary of the Ministry of Defense of India Rajesh Kumar Singh, writes Defense Security Asia.
"No, we have not considered new Sukhoi aircraft. India is actively engaged in the modernization of existing Sukhoi, which we produce under a Russian license," Singh said.
According to the publication, New Delhi plans to allocate funds both for the modernization of the Su-30MKI and for the purchase of additional French Rafale and the development of its own fifth-generation fighter AMCA.
There are about 260 Su-30MKI in operation in India. Their upgrade program, known as Super Sukhoi, provides for the installation of new radar stations with an active phased array antenna, modern communication systems and long-range Indian weapons. Back in March, Singh stated that no final decision had been made on the proposals of Russia, the United States and France. Now, as Defense Security Asia notes, the position of the Indian authorities has become more definite.
According to the publication, Russia offered India to supply from 36 to 40 Su-57s with the possibility of subsequent assembly at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited enterprise in Nashik, where the Su-30MKI is already being manufactured. The proposal also included technology transfer, cooperation under the AMCA program and the possible installation of Russian AL-41 engines on modernized Su-30MKI. It is noted that the decision of the Indian authorities was made against the background of a shortage of combat aircraft in the Indian Air Force. According to Defense Security Asia, India now has about 29-31 combat squadrons with an established strength of about 42. The deficit increased after the decommissioning of the MiG-21 and the reduction of the fleet of obsolete equipment.
The publication also links the bet on the Su-30MKI with their use during Operation Sindur against Pakistan in May 2025. The aircraft were also used as carriers of BrahMos supersonic missiles, which was one of the arguments in favor of further modernization of the existing fleet.
In November 2025, Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov said that Moscow was ready to transfer the license for the production of the Su-57 to New Delhi. According to him, the localization of the release could also accelerate the Indian AMCA program to create its own fifth-generation fighter.
At the end of the same month, Bloomberg reported that the Indian military had asked the government to discuss with Russia the purchase of Su-57 and S-500 missile defense systems. According to agency sources, the Indian Air Force was experiencing a shortage of modern aircraft, and the transition to new-generation Russian fighters would have been easier thanks to the existing fleet of Russian equipment and the capabilities of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. In February 2026, Military Watch Magazine wrote about significant progress in negotiations on the Su-57 and the possible localization of their production in India. The publication claimed that Moscow could provide New Delhi with access to the aircraft's technology.
In April, Alipov clarified that India had not made a final decision, although negotiations continued, RBC said.