With full knowledge transfer and local production rights, Russia has offered India the fifth-generation Su-57 stealth fighter jet, making it a competitive alternative to the US F-35 and China’s Chengdu J-20.
In addition to its stealth characteristics, the Su-57 emphasises agility, multi-role adaptability, and features like rapid weapon bay access and sophisticated electronic countermeasures. The J-20, on the other hand, is less nimble and primarily used for air-to-air missions, but it prioritises stealth and speed for deep penetration strikes.
The F-35 has superior avionics and sensor fusion capabilities, but it is more expensive, has a single engine, and places severe limitations on technology transfer to India.
In terms of performance, the F-35’s 1,500 km range and 1,931 km/h speed are inferior to the Su-57’s 2,137 km/h speed and 1,900 km range.
The J-20 has a longer range than the Su-57, with an operational combat radius of about 3,500 km compared to 1,900 km. The Su-57 is strategically appealing to India due to its exceptional agility, twin-engine architecture, and offers of full tech transfer, including engines, sensors, stealth materials, and weapons manufacture.
Additionally, the Russian offer suggests no technology sharing for the F-35 and a quick supply timeframe in contrast to unclear US delivery schedules.
Production of India’s domestic Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), an all-weather, twin-engine stealth multirole fighter, is still in its early phases and is not anticipated to begin before 2034–2035.
Purchasing the Su-57 now would give India an operational fifth-generation stealth platform in light of the imminent regional danger posed by a Chinese stealth fighter like the J-20 and Pakistan’s access to F-35s from Saudi Arabia through their military alliance.
Through knowledge transfer and local production at HAL facilities, it would help the development of the AMCA while bolstering air power.
Therefore, by combining stealth, agility, improved speed and range, and operational flexibility with immediate availability and full local production rights, the Su-57 offer gives India a strategic advantage over the Chinese J-20 that the F-35 current offer cannot match for India.
As a result, the Su-57 represents India’s most realistic and geopolitically feasible acquisition of a fifth-generation fighter in the near future, supporting its long-term domestic aerospace initiatives. The
Stealth, excellent agility, rapid weapon release, and electronic countermeasures tailored for multi-role combat are all features of the Su-57.
The J-20 is less nimble and has limited ground assault capabilities, but it emphasises stealth penetration and long-range air superiority.
Although the F-35 is costly, has a single engine, and limits technology transfer, it has better avionics.
Compared to the F-35, the Su-57 is less expensive, quicker, and has a larger combat range.
The US does not provide full technology transfer and licence production, while Russia does.
AMCA indigenous fighter is years away from production; Su-57 solves critical stealth gap for India.
Purchasing a Su-57 is both practical and essential given the geopolitical context of the threats posed by China and Pakistan.
While continuing to develop AMCA technology domestically, India should seriously explore acquiring the Su-57 for immediate fifth-generation stealth capability. India now has a significant air combat edge over the Chinese J-20 and possible F-35 threats in the area. The
