India is faced with a choice between rapidly strengthening its Air Force with the Russian Su-57 and the long-term development of its own fifth-generation fighter. Former Indian Air Force Chief Marshal Bhadauria believes that the acquisition of a foreign aircraft should not distract the country from the AMCA program, even if neighboring states acquire their own stealth fighters earlier.

Bhadauria's position came against the backdrop of Russian proposals for the Su-57E. Moscow had previously offered not only ready-made aircraft but also their production in India with technology transfer. Among the possible options considered was the use of manufacturing infrastructure in Nashik, where India previously produced Su-30MKI.

The former Indian Air Force Chief spoke out against the idea of buying a foreign fifth-generation fighter as a temporary solution. In his opinion, New Delhi has already committed to AMCA, so the country's resources should be directed towards accelerating this program. Even the possible appearance of Chinese J-20s or J-35s in Pakistan, Bhadauria believes, should not automatically lead to the purchase of a foreign analogue.

This is not just about the cost of the aircraft themselves. A parallel program with a foreign fighter would require separate infrastructure, maintenance, specialist training, and the integration of Indian weaponry and systems. Bhadauria previously indicated that such acquisitions could divert energy and resources from the teams involved in creating AMCA, and the integration of national systems on a foreign platform could prove to be long and expensive.

Bhadauria's position boils down to a simple choice: the Su-57 can meet some of India's needs sooner, but AMCA gives the country its own technological base for decades to come.