India To Go For Sukhoi Fifth Generation Stealth Fighters Only If Russia Agrees To Transfer Technology

A deal between India and Russia for the joint development of the Sukhoi-HAL Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) will go through only if the latter agrees to complete transfer of technology, Times Of India has reported today. This development comes soon after India constituted a panel to examine what the country gains from the project.

“This is mandatory. A high-level committee headed by an Air Marshal from the Indian Air Force (IAF).. is examining all these aspects. The government will take a call after the report is submitted in April," the daily quoted a source as saying.

According to the daily’s report, the decision has been taken at the ‘highest levels’ to ensure that the country doesn’t repeat the mistake that it made while signing the Su-30MKI deal with the Russians. Complete transfer of technology was not a part of this deal in the late 1990s. As a result, the deal did not contribute to the growth of India’s indigenous capabilities.

The FGFA, a modified version of Russia’s Sukhoi PAK FA (T-50), will be a valuable addition to India’s depleting inventory of fighter jets. India has already spent over $295 million on preliminary design of the aircraft and the total cost of the joint project is expected to be around $30 billion.

With China having operationalised its J-20 stealth fighters and Pakistan looking to buy a few, India needs the FGFA to maintain its edge. The IAF has a requirement for 120-130 such swing-role planes with stealth features.