Moscow/New Delhi, 7 December (H.S.): Russia has extended a sweeping overture to India for collaborative development of sixth-generation fighter jets and next-generation strategic bombers, building on President Vladimir Putin's recent visit and signaling a renaissance in bilateral defense ties.

Senior Russian officials proposed reviving the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) program through Indian variants of the Su-57E stealth fighter, complete with provisions for domestic manufacturing in India to swiftly bolster the Indian Air Force's capabilities.

Moscow envisions supplying up to three squadrons of Su-57E jets off-the-shelf while fostering long-term co-production, technology transfer, and stealth avionics integration, positioning India as a pivotal partner in Russia's advanced aviation roadmap targeting prototypes by 2035. This framework extends to air superiority platforms, stealth strike aircraft, manned-unmanned teaming systems, and prospective bomber technologies, mirroring the success of the BrahMos missile collaboration.

The initiative addresses prior FGFA concerns over costs, timelines, and stealth efficacy amid shifting geopolitics, offering India immediate radar-evasion assets while laying groundwork for indigenous innovation and countering regional adversaries' advancements. Russian emphasis on India's engineering prowess underscores a 30-year horizon for redefining Indo-Russian air dominance.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar