India Unlikely to Buy Russia’s Fifth-Generation Su-57 Fighter Jet, Dashing Putin’s Hopes

India has decided not to move forward with the purchase of Russia’s fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft, the Sukhoi Su-57, dealing a setback to Moscow’s long-standing efforts to secure a major defence deal with New Delhi. Despite high expectations ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to India, no agreement on the Su-57 materialised, signalling a clear shift in India’s defence priorities.

For nearly two years, Russia has been actively pitching the Su-57 to India, projecting it as one of the centrepieces of bilateral defence cooperation. In the run-up to President Putin’s visit, Russia’s state-run news agency TASS and several Kremlin-controlled media outlets claimed that a deal was close to being finalised. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had publicly stated that the Su-57 was “high on the agenda” and could be discussed during the visit.

However, according to a report by *The Hindu*, India is no longer keen on acquiring the Russian fifth-generation fighter. Even after Putin’s visit, New Delhi is reportedly no closer to finalising a Su-57 deal than it was earlier this year. This is despite Russia offering attractive terms, including co-production, technology transfer, and the establishment of industrial infrastructure in India.

Earlier, following the Aero India air show in March, Russia’s Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, had strongly promoted the aircraft, describing the Su-57 as Russia’s “best machine” and emphasising Moscow’s willingness to not only sell but also jointly produce the fighter in India with full technology sharing.

Yet, Indian officials have maintained a cautious stance. Quoted in the report, a senior Indian official said New Delhi did not show significant interest in the equipment proposed by Russia during the visit. The official added that while Moscow was expecting a major defence announcement, India remains focused on developing indigenous defence capabilities.

At the heart of this decision lies India’s commitment to its own fifth-generation fighter programme—the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). Defence planners believe that investing in the Su-57 could divert attention and resources from the indigenous AMCA project, which is central to India’s long-term self-reliance strategy under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative.

This does not, however, indicate a breakdown in India–Russia defence ties. India continues to rely on Russia for critical systems, including the S-400 air defence system, and both countries are collaborating on variants of the T-90 main battle tank. The Su-57, analysts say, is a separate case altogether.

Defence experts also point out that Russia’s performance in the Ukraine conflict has prompted many countries to reassess Russian weapon systems. While the Su-57 has impressed audiences at air shows, its limited production numbers and lack of extensive real-world combat validation have raised doubts about its reliability as a frontline fifth-generation fighter.

Disappointment in Moscow

India’s apparent lack of interest has reportedly caused disappointment in Russia. Before the visit, Dmitry Peskov had expressed optimism, stating that Russia hoped discussions on the Su-57 would take place and praising the long-standing presence of Russian equipment in the Indian armed forces. He had even described the Su-57 as “the best aircraft in the world.”

Those expectations, however, were not met. With no announcement on the Su-57 emerging from the high-level talks, it has become clear that New Delhi is charting a more independent path—prioritising indigenous defence development over importing advanced foreign platforms.

For Russia, the outcome represents a missed opportunity. For India, it underscores a strategic decision to focus on self-reliance and long-term capability building, even if it means disappointing one of its closest defence partners.