The Russian Su-57 has significantly approached the level of a mature serial fighter in recent years, but India does not yet consider it among the most developed fifth-generation aircraft. An unnamed high-ranking Indian Air Force official stated this to IDRW.

In 2018, when India withdrew from the FGFA program, the Su-57 was at a much earlier stage. In 2026, according to the officer, the aircraft has become significantly closer to the production version.

IDRW indicates that the Su-57 should now be compared based on specific capabilities: stealth, sensor data fusion, electronic warfare, network-centric operations, and weapon integration. The publication names the American F-35 and Chinese J-20 as benchmarks.

A separate problem for New Delhi remains the size of a potential fleet. If India acquires two squadrons of Su-57s, it will require separate infrastructure for personnel training, maintenance, supply, and operation. IDRW believes that with a small number of aircraft, this could affect long-term planning for their deployment.

The new comment appeared amid discussions about India's possible acquisition of the Su-57. As early as September 26, it was reported that Russia was ready to accept Indian pilots for aircraft evaluation.

The Indian side, according to the IDRW source, already acknowledges the noticeable maturation of the Russian aircraft. But the final assessment for New Delhi now depends on how much its real capabilities match the level of production F-35s and J-20s — and whether a small batch will justify the creation of a separate operational system.