Dr DK Sunil, HAL’s chairman and managing director, confirmed that discussions which began over a year ago have now advanced to the stage of on‑ground inspections and technical assessments.
A Russian team recently visited India to present the full capabilities of the Su‑57 to the Indian Air Force and to examine HAL’s production facilities. Their inspection concluded that nearly half of HAL’s existing infrastructure could be directly repurposed for Su‑57 assembly, while the remainder would require new investments in machinery and tooling.
This finding suggests that India already possesses a substantial foundation for local production, with only targeted upgrades needed to complete the setup.
Dr Sunil also noted that Algeria became the first foreign operator of the Su‑57 in late 2025, with deliveries already in service, demonstrating that the aircraft is combat‑ready and not merely a prototype.
HAL is now awaiting detailed cost figures from Russia, after which a comprehensive cost and timeline proposal will be submitted to the Indian Air Force. Russian defence agencies are exploring ways to reduce expenses by leveraging HAL’s existing Su‑30MKI production lines, which have already produced over 220 aircraft domestically.
The Su‑57 represents Russia’s most advanced stealth fighter. It is a twin‑engine aircraft capable of speeds approaching Mach 2, with a combat range of 3,500 kilometres and a service ceiling of 20,000 metres.
Its radar cross‑section is estimated between 0.1 and 1 square metre, making it significantly harder to detect than conventional fighters such as the Su‑30MKI, which has an RCS of around 15 square metres.
The Stealth jet utilizes special shapes, flat fuselage, and composite materials to achieve a radar cross-section between 0.1 and 1 square meter. The jet features thrust-vectoring engines (moving towards AL-51F-1) for extreme manoeuvrability allowing sustained supersonic flight without afterburners.
The fighter is equipped with the N036 Byelka active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system for superior detection. The Su-57 features internal weapon bays designed for long-range air-to-air missiles and precision-guided ground munitions.
India’s acquisition strategy appears to mirror its earlier Su‑30MKI program: initial imports followed by licensed local production. Reports from February suggested that New Delhi may first procure around 40 Su‑57s directly from Russia to strengthen frontline capability before commencing domestic manufacture.
Talks reached an advanced technical stage in January 2026, and in June 2025 Russia made an unprecedented offer to share the aircraft’s full source code with India. This would allow integration of indigenous technologies, a concession not granted by France in the Rafale deal, which has hindered any licence production arrangement for that aircraft.
Further, in December 2025, a senior Russian official indicated the possibility of jointly developing a new Su‑57 variant with India, granting co‑ownership of key technologies. Indian Air Force officers have suggested that combining Russian airframes and engines with Indian avionics and software could yield a platform superior even to the American F‑35.
Reports also point to the potential integration of a scaled‑down version of India’s Virupaksha AESA radar into the Indian Su‑57.
If finalised, this agreement would mark a watershed moment for India’s aerospace sector. Rather than simply purchasing a stealth fighter, India would gain genuine ownership and technological sovereignty over one of the world’s most advanced combat aircraft.
Agencies
