Strategic edge: Russia offers Su-57 source code on the table, India faces pivotal choice between Moscow and Washington

In a dramatic escalation of global arms diplomacy, Russia has dangled an unprecedented offer before India — complete access to the source code of its Su-57E stealth fighter jet. The proposal, made by Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation, would allow India to fully customise the jet, integrate indigenous weapons, and alter its systems at will. It’s a bold move aimed at tilting India’s defense calculus amid intensifying US-Russia rivalry and a volatile security landscape in Asia.

This surprise offer places Russia head-to-head with the United States, which has been actively pitching its F-35 Lightning II to the Indian Air Force. Defense analysts are calling it a strategic masterstroke by Moscow, meant to undercut deepening US-India ties and reassert Russia’s role in Indian defense procurement.

For New Delhi, the implications are profound. As regional threats from China and Pakistan loom large, access to the Su-57E’s source code would give India unprecedented autonomy over a fifth-generation stealth platform. It could also mark a turning point in India’s long-held ambition to develop a self-reliant defense ecosystem.

By contrast, France has refused to share the Rafale’s source code, which has prevented India from integrating indigenous weapons like the BrahMos missile into the French aircraft. That constraint has steered India toward its Russian-made Su-30MKI, where such integrations are already operational.

In modern fighter jets, source code is more than just programming — it’s the brain of the aircraft. It determines how the jet flies, fights, and adapts in combat. The F-35 reportedly contains over 10 million lines of software code, underscoring its complexity. China’s J-20 and FC-31 are believed to have similarly sophisticated software architectures.

The Su-57E, developed by Sukhoi, is Russia’s answer to the F-35 and J-20. A multirole stealth fighter with supermaneuverability and a top speed of Mach 2, it carries up to 10 tons of munitions and features cutting-edge radar-evading technology. Despite critiques that it lags behind Western jets in stealth, it compensates with agility, electronic warfare capability, and the reported integration of hypersonic missiles like the Kinzhal.

Russia remains India’s largest defense supplier, having delivered over 60% of its military hardware. The S-400 missile defense system, delivered in 2021 despite US protests, and the Su-30MKI fighter jets form the core of India’s aerial defenses.

China’s J-20 poses a growing threat in the north, particularly after the 2020 Galwan clash. Meanwhile, Pakistan, armed with JF-17s co-developed with China, remains a volatile wildcard on India’s western front.

The US, for its part, has refused to share the F-35’s full source code even with allies like the UK and Australia. A 2019 GAO report confirmed that partners only received limited access, mostly for maintenance.

That limitation could steer India away from the F-35, especially given its need for operational flexibility and integration of homegrown weaponry. Price is another factor — the F-35 carries a significant cost, both financially and geopolitically. The risk of U.S. sanctions under CAATSA, as seen during the S-400 deal, adds to the stakes.

India’s air force, which received 36 Rafale jets in 2016, is still short of its sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons, with only 31 currently operational. The Su-57E offer may be arriving at a crucial juncture.