BharatDefense

Russia has been intensifying its effort to sell its Su-57E export variant to India by presenting an enhanced package emphasizing on technology transfer, local production and unprecedented access to onboard systems, including source code.

The russian leadership at Russia's United Aircraft-Building Corporation (OAK) aim for this project to be as succesful as Su-30MkI program.

This package emphasizes on intial batches delievered directly from Russia, while the other batches will be locally assmebled through technology transfer and licensed production which could also potentially lead a way to intergration of Su-57E technology in already existing Su-30MkI.

India in 2018 actually withdrew from the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) under which Su-57 was made due to reasons like escalating costs, protracted timelines, and more than 40 demanded design alterations to the original T-50 prototype.

Russian side has emphasized that since then they have improved a lot of things since then. They also claim that current iteration is a markedly evolved platform, distinct from earlier prototypes and that the export variant is specially enhanced accordng to IAF needs.

Russia is playing a nice strategy to enhance its exports amid changing geopolitical situations. This offer perfectly fits with Russia's attempt to showcase Su-57 as a true 5th gen fighter.

I think India should agree for a limited number of Fighter jets in small but multiple batches as to also ensure domestic production. Procurement should be done only as a stop gap to counter Chinese and Pakisatni 5th gen threat. India should focus on its own 5th generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and procure it in mass.

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