The Su-57 is More Than a Fighter — It’s a Classroom for AMCA
India’s Air Force is at a critical juncture. The backbone of its current fighter fleet — Jaguars, MiG-29s, and Mirage-2000s — is ageing fast. Rafale has plugged some of the gaps, while the Su-30MKI continues to be the workhorse. But one truth is unavoidable: India has no stealth fighter capability today, and AMCA, its indigenous stealth project, won’t arrive before 2035. That creates a dangerous vacuum in the 2030s, just as China ramps up J-20 production. This is where the Su-57 steps in. Critics often dismiss it as an expensive distraction, but in reality, it is not just a fighter jet — it is a stealth classroom India cannot afford to skip.
The stealth gap is real. China already fields over 150 J-20s, and by 2030, its stealth fleet could cross 200. Pakistan, while unlikely to acquire a true fifth-generation jet soon, will certainly rely on Chinese cover. In such a scenario, India risks fighting with 4.5-gen fighters against fifth-gen adversaries unless it inducts a stealth bridge. Rafales, as capable as they are, are not stealth platforms. AMCA will eventually fill this role, but its first flight is not due before the end of this decade, and production will stretch into the mid-2030s. That leaves a ten-year gap where India could fall behind. The Su-57 is the only realistic answer.
The importance of the Su-57 is not just in combat performance. It lies in what it can teach India. Producing Su-57s in Nashik, with HAL as prime integrator and private firms like Tata, Adani, and L&T as partners, will give India its first exposure to stealth manufacturing. From applying radar-absorbent coatings to machining tight-tolerance stealth geometry, these are skills that cannot be learned from textbooks or labs alone. Su-57 production would also introduce India to internal weapons bay integration, advanced sensor fusion, and stealth maintenance cycles — all of which AMCA will demand. In essence, Su-57 becomes India’s practice run before AMCA.
A realistic induction plan is achievable. If a deal is signed in 2025–26, HAL could roll out the first Su-57 assembled from Russian kits by 2027–28. Initial production might be slow — 2 to 3 jets a year — but by 2030 India could have 6 to 8 operational fighters. By 2035, that number could grow to 25 or 30, enough for one and a half squadrons. This is not just about numbers; it is about building experience across the supply chain and training the IAF to operate stealth aircraft in contested skies. Meanwhile, AMCA prototypes would be in flight testing, with production just beginning. Su-57, therefore, bridges the gap, ensuring India is never without stealth capability.
India has walked this road before. When the Su-30MKI was first proposed in the 1990s, critics called it risky and unnecessary. Today, it is the backbone of the IAF, with more than 260 inducted. The same logic applies to Su-57. It may face doubts now, but two decades later it could be remembered as the jet that gave India its stealth edge and industrial readiness for AMCA. History is repeating itself; the question is whether India will seize the opportunity.
The criticisms against Su-57 do not hold up under scrutiny. Some argue it will drain funds from AMCA, but in fact, it will accelerate AMCA by giving Indian engineers and pilots practical stealth experience. Others worry Russia won’t share all the technology. Even if only 70–80% is shared, the value to India’s learning curve is immense. And the claim that Rafales alone are enough ignores the reality that Rafale, while potent, is not stealth. Against advanced Chinese SAM belts and J-20 patrols, stealth is non-negotiable.
In conclusion, Su-57 is more than a fighter jet. It is a stepping stone. It is a stealth classroom that India needs to prepare for the AMCA era. Rafales will strengthen squadron numbers today, AMCA will be the crown jewel of tomorrow, but Su-57 is the bridge that ensures India does not stumble in between. By 2035, an IAF flying 30 Su-57s alongside AMCA prototypes will be a force to reckon with — and a signal to adversaries that India will never lag behind in fifth-generation warfare. The lesson is clear: India must not wait for perfection; it must buy time, buy deterrence, and most importantly, buy experience with the Su-57.
