Sukhoi fleet upgrade on the cards, India aims for 78% indigenisation

India is looking forward to a massive upgrade of its Sukhoi 30-MKI fighter jets, which include modern avionics, latest radar and 78 per cent indigenous technology.

Advertisement

The Indian Air Force flies 260 Sukhoi 30-MKI jets that were used to deliver air-launch version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles on Pakistan’s air bases on May 10 during Operation Sindoor.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh discussed the matter with his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) at Qingdao in China on Thursday.

The two ministers held in-depth discussions on a range of subjects covering current geopolitical situations, cross-border terrorism and Indo-Russian defence cooperation, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on Friday.

It was one of the most important recent meetings between the leaders of the two nations, being held against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor and the consequent necessity of augmenting defence production.

The MoD said, “This will include critical items such as air defence, air-to-air missiles, upgrade of air platforms, supply of S-400 systems, Sukhoi-30 MKI upgrades and procurement of critical military hardware in expeditious timeframes.”

In February, Russia offered AL-41 engine that powers its Sukhoi-57 stealth jet for the existing Sukhoi-30MKI fleet. The Sukhoi-30MKI is powered by AL-31 engine, which is less powerful than the AL-41.

Further, the performance of Sukhoi-57, which flew at Aero India in Bengaluru in February, has not gone unnoticed.

The Sukhoi-30MKI upgrade will include integrating Indian-made avionics, radar and mission computers. The DRDO-developed Uttam Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar will enhance detection and tracking capabilities. Additionally, the aircraft will receive a fully digital glass cockpit featuring large touchscreens to improve pilot situational awareness. A new mission computer will also be installed to handle the increased processing power required by the upgraded avionics.

India aims to incorporate 78 per cent indigenous components in the upgraded aircraft, boosting local manufacturing and reducing dependency on foreign suppliers.

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) — the company that license-produces the Sukhoi-30MKI in India — is going to sign the work-share contract for the Sukhoi upgrade.

Russian Defence Minister Belousov highlighted the long-standing Indo-Russian relations, which have stood the test of time, and expressed solidarity with India on the Pahalgam terror attack.