During his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the two leaders discussed defence along with trade, infrastructure and technology. Officials said that, besides the Su-30MKI upgrade, Russia is expected to push proposals involving S-400 air-defence systems, Pantsir-S1M point-defence systems, radars and strategic submarines.
Russia is also asking India to consider its S-500 air-defence system. The system can reportedly target missiles at ranges of up to 600 km, compared with the 400-km range of the S-400.
For the S-400, Russia is offering to establish a maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in India, potentially in partnership with an Indian company.
The proposal for the fifth-generation Su-57 fighter comes as India considers its requirements for advanced fighter aircraft. Russian news agency Sputnik said the United States, Russia and China are the only three countries with fifth-generation stealth fighter jet technology, making the Su-57 a natural choice for India.
India is also discussing a major upgrade programme for its approximately 260 Su-30MKI fighters, beginning with an initial batch of 84 jets. The billion Super Sukhoi programme includes new AESA radars, modern avionics, improved electronic-warfare capabilities and new engines.
The proposals put the Su-57 joint-production plan and the Super Sukhoi upgrade at the centre of the defence discussions accompanying Putin’s visit to New Delhi, alongside Russia’s wider offers involving air defence, radar, submarine and maintenance capabilities.
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