India said to pitch new arms deal with Russia during Putin visit

Russian Sukhoi Su 57 fifth-generation fighter aircraft AFP

India plans to start discussions toward the purchase of Russian fighter jets and a missile defence shield during President Vladimir Putin’s visit this week, according to people with knowledge of the matter, even as the President Donald Trump administration seeks to reduce dealings between the two nations.

India and Russia have a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership under which discussions for the purchase of Su-57 fighter jets and an advanced version of the missile defence shield S-500 are expected, said the people who asked not to be named, as the matter is private. A potential agreement with Russia could complicate any trade deal with the US, which has pushed back against India’s weapons purchases from Moscow.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Defence didn’t respond to emails sent after office hours seeking comments.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has maintained his country’s longstanding ties to Moscow, while pursuing deeper links with the US in recent decades. The country has reduced its overwhelming reliance on Russian weapons by acquiring more arms from the US and European nations.

Moscow remains India’s largest supplier of military hardware despite a significant drop in purchases of Russian weapons in the four years ending 2024, according a report of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, an independent think tank that tracks global weapons sales.

Indian Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said on Friday that India’s defence cooperation with Russia is a long-standing one and the nation doesn’t intend to stop anytime soon. India will continue to buy defence equipment from both Russia and the US, he said.

India has over 200 Russian fighter jets and several batteries of the S-400 defence shield, which were used during the four day conflict with Pakistan in May. India’s military is short on fighters and has asked the government to buy more Russian made advanced fighter jets to plug the gap, people familiar with the matter said.

The proposal shows that Indian Air Force crew including pilots will find the transition to next-generation Russian jets easy, and state owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is capable of servicing and maintaining the Russian-made fleet, the people said. Moreover, long-range missiles on the Su-57 jets will give the South Asian country added visual range capabilities, they said.

However, talks to buy new Russian military equipment are unlikely to conclude during Putin’s visit, they said.