Russian President Vladimir Putin has renewed Russia’s offer to supply India with the fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter aircraft and proposed its joint production in India, signaling Moscow’s intent to deepen defence cooperation with New Delhi.
Speaking on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin said Russia remained ready to collaborate with India on the Su-57 programme, including technology development and manufacturing.
“As far as the Su-57 goes, at one point we proposed to our Indian friends to work together on this technology. It’s fifth-generation technology — I think it’s the best in the world as of now,” Putin said.
Recalling earlier discussions on a joint fighter aircraft programme, the Russian President said India had chosen to wait and assess the project before taking a decision. He added that Russia had gone ahead independently but remained open to partnership.
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“We are ready to work with India. To work and develop. There will be no restrictions whatsoever,” Putin said.
The Su-57 is Russia’s most advanced operational stealth fighter and is designed for air superiority, precision strikes and electronic warfare missions. Moscow has been keen to secure Indian participation in the programme after earlier plans for a joint Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft project failed to materialise.
The renewed offer comes as India pursues its indigenous Advanced Multirole Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme, which is expected to enter service only in the next decade. Reports suggest New Delhi is also evaluating options for acquiring a limited number of fifth-generation fighters to address capability gaps in the interim.
Putin also signalled Russia’s willingness to expand cooperation with India in other strategic defence sectors, including integrated air defence systems and advanced military hardware.
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