Jai Siya Ram
✅ What is Known / Reported
- MRFA (Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft) / India’s 114-fighter deal
- India is pursuing procurement of ~114 medium-to-heavy multirole combat aircraft (MRFA) for the IAF to modernize and replace aging fleets like the MiG-21, Mirage-2000, etc.
- Under existing agreements with France, India already has Rafales, and many reports suggest that part of the 114-aircraft package may involve additional Rafales, manufactured in part domestically.
- Discussion of F-35 and Su-57 as possible options
- There is media speculation and reporting that the U.S., under Trump, offered F-35s to India. However, these offers are reportedly under conditions that have not met India’s requirements (e.g., tech transfer, local manufacturing).
- Similarly, Russia’s Su-57 is reportedly being considered by India. Some sources say Russia is studying investment to build Su-57s in India, possibly at HAL Nashik, with a degree of technology transfer.
- India’s stance & Defence Secretary’s statements
- Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has publicly clarified that there are no formal talks underway with either the U.S. for F-35A or Russia for Su-57E, at least as of mid-2025. These offers and discussions remain informal/speculative.
- India is pushing to build its own fifth-generation aircraft (AMCA), and has opened up the project to private firms, aiming for some domestic production capacity in the next 8 years.
❓ What Isn’t Confirmed / Likely Speculative
- No credible source confirms India has officially rejected the F-35 in favor of Su-57. Some media articles suggest media speculation that India is leaning toward Su-57 but nothing has been formally approved.
- The number “114 Rafales plus Su-57s replacing F-35s” sounds like an extrapolation or grouping of different procurement options rather than a formal package. There’s no official document that says “114 Rafales + X Su-57s, F-35 out.”
- Assertions like full technology transfer, local manufacture of Su-57, or that India has “dumped” the F-35 offer are largely in media/opinion pieces or leaked reports, not confirmed government declarations.
⚙️ Key Context & Constraints
- Strategic Autonomy & Make-in-India: India has been consistent in demanding high levels of tech transfer, local production, and customization in defence purchases. Any deal involving the F-35 or Su-57 would need to satisfy those criteria.
- Cost, Maintenance, Integration: F-35 is expensive not just to buy but to maintain, integrate with Indian systems, and meeting U.S. export rules may limit what India can do. Su-57 has its own issues, including fewer operational units, developmental challenges, and possibly lower stealth performance in certain metrics.
- Time frames: Any acquisition will take years. India’s indigenous AMCA is expected for first flight circa 2028, full production by 2035. Meanwhile, interim needs may be met by existing aircraft or upgrades.
