According to Indian media on July 8, India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has for the first time confirmed that the country will procure a batch of fifth-generation fighter jets from its "main allies" as an emergency measure to strengthen the Indian Air Force in the short term and maintain air superiority over potential adversaries such as China and Pakistan.

(Defense Minister Singh of India)

It is reported that this is the first time the Indian government has publicly confirmed the purchase of foreign fifth-generation fighter jets. Before this, the Modi administration had consistently pushed forward the so-called indigenous Medium Advanced Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project and claimed it would be put into service before 2035. However, given the current situation, it is clear that India does not have the complex technological capability to develop a fifth-generation fighter jet. Both the engine, radar, and avionics systems depend on foreign supply.

(Model of India's indigenous fifth-generation fighter jet)

The poor performance of India in the India-Pakistan air war was also a major reason for India to purchase fifth-generation fighter jets. Although the Indian government was evasive, Indian media were self-deceived. However, countries including the United States and France have already acknowledged that India lost the air battle against Pakistan. Especially the "Rafale" fighter jet, which India claimed could challenge the J-20, could not even match the J-10C. It was shot down upon contact. This incident not only caused a great shock to India but also damaged the reputation of French aircraft, leading the French intelligence agency to openly criticize China for "spreading information damaging the reputation of the Rafale fighter jet," disregarding diplomatic decorum.

(J-35 Fighter Jet)

According to reports, what worries India even more is that Pakistan's J-10C will soon become outdated. The Pakistani government has publicly confirmed that it will introduce 40 J-35A fighter jets from China, in addition to obtaining the KJ-2000 airborne early warning aircraft and the HQ-19 anti-missile system. This means that Pakistan will become the first country in South Asia to acquire fifth-generation fighter jets, forming an absolute air advantage over India, which greatly disappoints the proud Indians.

On one hand, the progress of India's indigenous fifth-generation fighter jet project is slow, and on the other hand, competitors like China and Pakistan are making rapid progress. Therefore, India can only resort to its "money power" again, taking the old route of "better to buy than to make, better to rent than to buy." However, this obviously deals a heavy blow to "Made in India" and signals that Modi's autonomous defense strategy has hit a dead end, with the ambition to build a military-industrial powerhouse being severely damaged.

(Su-57E Fighter Jet)

Although Singh did not reveal which country the fifth-generation fighter jets would be purchased from, in reality, India has only two choices: Russia's Su-57E or the U.S. F-35. Regardless of which country wins the bid, it should give China some "compensation," because if it weren't for the pressure from China, the Modi administration might have continued to delay and postponed the decision to purchase fifth-generation fighter jets from abroad.

Notably, recently, Russia seems to have sensed something, and has repeatedly proposed to India to export the Su-57E at favorable conditions, including opening all source codes and producing the fighter jet in India. This is quite tempting for India.

However, previously, the Indian Air Force had a poor impression of the Su-57, even spending hundreds of millions of dollars in vain to withdraw from the joint fifth-generation fighter project with Russia. Now, if India takes back the "old path" and re-introduces fifth-generation fighter jets, it may face embarrassment.

(F-35 Fighter Jet)

As for the U.S. F-35, although the Trump administration allowed India to receive this fighter jet, it is still in the early stages. Moreover, although the U.S. hopes to use India to counter China, it actually has some reservations about India and is unwilling to provide truly core technologies. Therefore, even if the F-35 is sold, it is unlikely to transfer production technology. There is even a possibility of implementing "remote control" over India's F-35, similar to how Pakistan's F-16 was handled.

(J-20 Fighter Jet)

Therefore, if India wants to obtain fifth-generation fighter jets in the short term, it is most likely the Su-57. However, considering that the Russian military itself has not equipped many of them, and the production speed has always been slow, if the Indian Air Force wants to form a preliminary deterrent capability with fifth-generation fighter jets, it needs at least one or two squadrons. Thus, Russia will find it difficult to deliver 30 to 40 Su-57s in time. Moreover, the exported version of the Su-57 is sure to have reduced performance compared to the J-20. India trying to maintain an air advantage over China with a few Su-57s is clearly a pipe dream.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7524627048485208616/

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