Su-57, S-500, Super Sukhoi: What Is Russia’s Big Defence Pitch To India At BRICS Summit

India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, with Russian President Vladimir Putin arriving in the capital on Friday. Moscow has put forward several defence proposals, including the joint production of the Su-57 fighter jet in India and the upgrade of India’s Su-30MKI fleet to the “Super Sukhoi” standard at an estimated cost of more than 11 billion dollars.

During his talks with Putin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said defence was among the issues discussed, along with trade, infrastructure and technology. Several Russian defence proposals are expected to be in focus, including the S-400 air-defence system, Pantsir-S1M point-defence systems, radars and strategic submarines.

What is Russia offering on the S-400?

Russia is urging India to consider its S-500 air-defence system, which is capable of engaging targets at ranges of up to 600 km, compared with the S-400’s reported range of up to 400 km.

For the S-400, Moscow has offered to establish a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in India, potentially in partnership with an Indian company. Such a facility would help strengthen local maintenance and support capabilities for the system.

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Su-57 emerges as a top choice

According to Russian news agency Sputnik, the US, Russia and China are the only three countries with fifth-generation stealth fighter-jet technology. This makes Russia’s Su-57 a potential option for India as it looks to strengthen its future combat-aircraft capabilities.

India is also discussing a major upgrade of its fleet of around 260 Su-30MKI fighters, with the first phase covering 84 aircraft. The estimated 11 billion dollars “Super Sukhoi” is expected to include new AESA radars, upgraded avionics, enhanced electronic-warfare capabilities and new engines.

The proposed upgrades are aimed at extending the operational relevance of the Su-30MKI fleet while significantly improving its sensors, electronic-warfare capabilities and overall combat effectiveness.

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Meanwhile, the BRICS Summit is expected to focus on strengthening cooperation among member countries on shared priorities, while leaders will also exchange views on global and regional issues of mutual interest.

BRICS comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Its partner countries are Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.