NEW DELHI, August 11. /TASS/. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is considering the possibility of purchasing two or three squadrons of Russia’s Sukhoi-57 and America’s F-35 fifth generation fighters to make up for the shortage of combat aircraft in its ranks, the Economic Times newspaper reported citing sources.
According to the publication, the IAF is in dire need of an increase in the number of fighter squadrons, and is considering Russian and American fighters as options ‘until the indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) becomes production-ready by 2035."
"However, no formal discussions have yet begun with either Russia or the US," the newspaper specified referring to the sources.
The IAF will submit its proposal in two months to the Indian government, which will take the final decision, the sources explained.
According to them, France’s Rafale fighters are real competitors for the Su-57 and F-35. These fighters under an intergovernmental agreement between New Delhi and Paris instead of announcing an international tender. Under this agreement, India can buy 114 Rafale aircraft, most of which will be manufactured at Indian enterprises.
Rafale fighters took part in the Indian military operation Sindoor against Pakistan on May 7-10 to launch missile strikes on terrorist bases in this neighboring country. Pakistan claims that 6 Indian Air Force fighters, including 3 Rafale, were shot down while repelling the attacks. India denies these losses.
Currently, the Indian Air Force has 31 fighter squadrons of 16-18 aircraft each. The number of squadrons will be reduced from the required level of 41 squadrons to 29 after the decommissioning of all obsolete MiG-21 fighters in September. The Su-57 is the only fifth-generation fighter in the world that has proven its effectiveness in countering Western air defense systems in real combat conditions. The aircraft is capable of using a wide range of precision-guided weapons and is distinguished by its low visibility to enemy radars. In February 2025, the Su-57E fighter was presented at the Indian aerospace exhibition Air India.