Moscow and New Delhi intend to expand military-technical partnership in the field of aviation technologies. According to Dmitry Shugaev, Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC), on the eve of the Russian-Indian summit in New Delhi, one of the key initiatives until 2030 may be the joint development of a promising fifth-generation fighter based on the Russian Su-57.
The main areas of cooperation until 2030 may be interaction in the field of combat aviation — increasing the licensed production of Su-30MKI aircraft and their modernization, joint development of a fifth-generation fighter.
This step marks a return to the discussion of a joint fighter program after the freezing of the FGFA (Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft) project, interrupted by India in 2018 due to technical disagreements and cost issues. The resumption of dialogue can strengthen bilateral ties in the defense sector and create a new platform for technological exchange between the countries.
FGFA (Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft) is a joint Russian-Indian program to create a fifth-generation fighter.
In 2007, the development of a multi-purpose fighter based on the Russian PAK FA began. It was assumed that the FGFA would have two pilots: a pilot and a weapons operator.
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