Russia Ready to Partner with India on Su-57 Fighter Jet Development

Russian President Putin expressed Moscow's willingness to collaborate with India on the Su-57 fighter jet program, despite past hesitancy from New Delhi. Speaking at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, Putin highlighted India's strategic importance, defending its foreign policy against U.S. pressures.

During the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Moscow's readiness to cooperate with India on the Su-57 fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft program. Putin emphasized the potential for deepening defense cooperation, despite India's previous cautious stance towards the project.

Putin hailed the Su-57 as a leading aviation platform, calling it the best in global fifth-generation technology. He noted that initial offers to collaborate were met with hesitance from India, which preferred to observe Russia's independent development efforts before considering joint participation.

The Russian President praised India's independent foreign policy and criticized U.S. efforts to influence New Delhi's relations with Moscow. He described the Indo-Russian ties as a longstanding strategic partnership, rooted in decades of cooperation since the Soviet Union’s support for India's post-independence development.