Not just Su-57: What is on President Putin’s defence agenda as he visits India
Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting India for bilateral talks with the Prime Minister and to attend the BRICS Leaders' Summit in New Delhi.
Russia has presented a wide-ranging defence package for discussion, including Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets, additional S-400 air defence regiments, and an upgrade programme for the Su-30MKI fleet.
No major formal defence agreement or announcement is expected to be signed during this specific visit, despite the scale of proposals on the table.
The visit reflects Russia's stated intent to shift the bilateral defence relationship from a buyer-seller model toward joint production and development, including deeper engagement with India's private defence sector.
Defence Platforms on Offer: Su-57, S-400, and Su-30MKI Upgrades
The Su-57 ("Felon" in NATO designation) is Russia's fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter, developed by Sukhoi/United Aircraft Corporation, first flown in 2010 and inducted into Russia's Aerospace Forces from December 2020. The S-400 Triumf is a long-range surface-to-air missile system already contracted by India.
Key Details
- Reported Russian offer: two Su-57 squadrons off-the-shelf plus joint production of three to five more squadrons, with engine technology sharing and long-range R-37 air-to-air missiles.
- India signed a contract for five S-400 regiments from Russia in October 2018 for an estimated $5.4-5.43 billion; the United States granted India a CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) waiver in view of India's strategic balancing role against China.
- A proposed "Super Sukhoi" modernisation programme would upgrade nearly 260 Su-30MKI fighters (India's frontline multirole fighter, license-built by HAL) with new radars, avionics, and engines, reportedly valued around $11 billion.
- India has previously withdrawn from Russia's earlier fifth-generation jet offer (the FGFA/PAK-FA programme) over cost, performance, and technology-transfer concerns — a factor shaping current caution on the Su-57.
The visit places large-ticket, next-generation platforms on the table without concluding a binding contract, consistent with India's practice of using such visits for exploratory defence dialogue ahead of formal Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) clearance.
India's Defence Procurement Process
Major capital defence acquisitions in India go through a structured pathway: the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by the Raksha Mantri (Defence Minister), grants "Acceptance of Necessity" (AoN) under the categories of Buy (outright purchase), Buy & Make (purchase followed by licensed/indigenous production), and Make (indigenous design and development) — governed currently by the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020. Approved proposals then require Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) clearance for high-value contracts before a formal contract is signed.
The absence of a signed deal during this visit reflects that Russia's offers remain at the AoN/negotiation stage; any Su-57 or further S-400 commitment would still need to clear DAC and CCS approval before contracting.
- S-400 contract: signed October 2018, five regiments, approx. $5.4 billion, CAATSA waiver granted by the US.
- Reported "Super Sukhoi" Su-30MKI upgrade: ~260 aircraft, approx. $11 billion.
- Su-57: first flight 2010; entered Russian service December 2020; NATO reporting name "Felon."
- Additional reported items under discussion: five more S-400 regiments (~$5 billion), Pantsir-S1M point-defence systems, long-range radars, and strategic submarines.