Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is currently in a wait-and-see situation regarding the possible production of Russia’s fifth-generation stealth fighter Su-57 in India. According to the Indian Express report, HAL is awaiting a detailed cost report from a Russian technical team, which is expected this month. This report will clarify the total financial requirements associated with manufacturing of Su-57 in India.
This cost assessment will include aspects such as availability of advanced technologies, human resource development, infrastructure development and strengthening of supply chains. The Russian delegation had submitted an interim report to HAL about two months ago. The important thing revealed in that report was that HAL already has about 50 percent of the infrastructure required for Su-57 production, which is based on the production experience of Su-30MKI fighter aircraft.
This coordination between HAL and Sukhoi is not new. Licensed production of the Su-30MKI began under an intergovernmental agreement in December 2000. Under this, HAL’s Nashik division has been manufacturing final assembly, Koraput division has been manufacturing AL-31FP turbofan engines and the Strategic Electronics Factory located in Kasargod, Kerala has been manufacturing avionics. This experience puts HAL in a favorable position for a potential Su-57E, i.e. the export version.
However, New Delhi has not yet decided to purchase any foreign fifth-generation fighter as an interim solution until the arrival of the indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). Chief of Integrated Defense Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit had recently said about the gap of eight to ten years regarding the shortage of squadrons in the Indian Air Force.
The fifth generation fighter aircraft are considered to be far ahead of the fourth generation aircraft due to their stealth, supercruise, state-of-the-art sensors and network-centric warfare capabilities. If the government chooses the interim foreign option, the American F-35 Lightning-II along with the Su-57E are also major contenders. Both the aircraft were displayed at Aero India 2025 in Bengaluru.
A specialty of the Su-57E is said to be that it has the possibility of complete technology transfer and local production, which is considered to be in line with India’s defense production policy. In October 2025, Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov indicated that Moscow was ready to support India’s AMCA program through co-production of the Su-57.
However critics also point to the Su-57’s maturity, limited combat experience, and delays in engine development. The cost report will assess the huge expenditure on stealth coating, AL-51F1 engine, Irbis-E radar, avionics and human resource training.
If the project is approved, it could pave the way for the first indigenously built stealth fighter aircraft in India and partially bridge the capability gap of the Air Force until the advent of AMCA. For now, all eyes are on Russia’s final cost report, which could decide the direction of India’s fifth generation strategy.
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