'Su-57 components are sourced from China': Ex-IAF officer warns Russia will side with Beijing in war with India

Former IAF Group Captain Ajay Ahlawat on Wednesday appeared to back calls for New Delhi to resist Western pressure and strengthen ties with Russia but warned that Moscow may side with China in the event of a war with India. "A large number of electronic components that go into Su-57 are sourced from China," Ahlawat noted, suggesting that India cannot rely on Russia in a high-stakes face-off with its northern neighbour.

In a post reacting to a veteran army officer's call to pick Russia over the US and embrace Su-57 fighter jet over indigenous AMCA jets for now, Ahlawat said, "There's only one glitch in this argument. If India gets into a shooting war with China — Russia will support China, not India." He cautioned against picking either the Su-57 or the American F-35, calling both "bad choices." 

According to him, India's only viable path is to pursue its indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program or other alternatives, despite challenges in timelines. "35, 57 Both bad choices. Domestic AMCA or alternative weapons is a choice, although, time and timelines are a challenge," Ahlawat stated when asked by a social media user if the cost and lack of combat experience of both jets made them worth the risk.

The original suggestion came from a retired army officer who The debate was sparked after a former Army officer wrote that India's foreign policy under External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was "grossly off the mark" and that the country should move toward the Global South and strengthen its alignment with Russia. He claimed India's best options were the F-35 or the Su-57 as "AMCA is not a choice" when Operation Sindoor is on pause and China is supporting Pakistan to build capabilities for war.

"India is a Global South nation & this is where its future should be...Now Howard Lutnick has dictated that India should not buy Russian military equipment & it walks out of BRICS. Nothing can be more insulting for India (nation of 1.4 billion people) than to bear this US tantrum," he wrote on X.

He further argued that Russia has not only supported India with S-400 and BrahMos but is willing to co-produce the Su-57 and help in AMCA development. "Russia is India's trusted partner & today it is a Great Power, which supports BRICS & Global South aspirations. Today, India stands at crossroad. Don't take it on the wrong path!"

However, former Indian Air Force chief RKS Bhadauria recently said that India should not go for any interim imports of fifth-gen fighters. "My answer is no," he said when asked whether India buy some jets especially when Pakistan is set to get advanced fighter aircraft from China. "Now, the government has clearly put their faith in AMCA, and now we need to do everything as a nation to expedite the AMCA."

On threats from across the border, Bhadauria said: "That cause of concern in terms of what Pakistan is going to get from China in the interim - be it J20 or J-35 - let them get these. That will be studied. What is important is in the interim how do you handle these threats and there are ways and means of tackling this threat that they will have."