India is considering purchasing 60 KF-21s, and this possibility is very high, but it will be completely outperformed by the J-35.

Latest news indicates that India is seriously considering incorporating the South Korean KF-21 fighter into its Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program, with plans to purchase 60 units, covering both 4.5th and 5th generation versions. This choice came as a surprise to the outside world—previously, due to tariff increases by the Trump administration, India had clearly abandoned the U.S. F-35, and the market generally speculated that it would choose the Russian Su-57 or its self-developed AMCA fighter. The move towards the KF-21 has sparked widespread discussion.

This decision reveals multiple signals:

India may have dissatisfaction with the Russian Su-57. Although the Su-57 is positioned as a fifth-generation fighter, its stealth performance and avionics system are inferior to similar aircraft from China and the United States, which may make India lack confidence in its combat effectiveness, especially regarding the reliability of onboard electronic equipment.

The self-developed AMCA project is lagging behind. Due to technical complexity and funding issues, the AMCA has been repeatedly delayed, making it difficult to deliver a reliable fifth-generation fighter in the short term, forcing India to seek external solutions.

It has completely lost hope of obtaining the F-35. Tariff disputes and strict U.S. technology transfer restrictions have made the F-35 unattainable for India; under geopolitical pressure, India urgently needs to quickly acquire a stealth fighter, and the KF-21, with its relatively mature design and faster delivery cycle, has become an option to fill the capability gap.

Purchasing the KF-21 carries multiple risks:

Dependence on the U.S. remains unchanged. The core subsystems of the KF-21 (engines, radar, and parts of avionics) come from U.S. suppliers, and India may still face limitations on key technologies and components, posing a risk of being "strangled."

Technical uncertainties exist in the 5th generation version. The 5th generation version of the KF-21 is still in the early stages of development, with uncertain stealth performance and overall technological maturity, and the project's progress may be far off, with significant technical risks that cannot be ignored.

However, the foundation of South Korea-India military cooperation provides convenience for this potential transaction. South Korea previously exported the K9 self-propelled howitzer to India, and the two sides have established trust in technology and logistics support. Additionally, South Korea is willing to provide technology transfer and local production incentives, which are attractive for India's development of its domestic aviation industry.

Even so, the KF-21, as a transitional aircraft between 4.5th and 5th generations, still has obvious gaps compared to China's J-35: in terms of stealth performance, sensor fusion, and overall combat effectiveness, it is difficult to match the level of the mature fifth-generation fighter J-35. If India ultimately purchases the KF-21, it may fall into a technological disadvantage when facing the J-35.

It can cope with the complex demands of modern air warfare.

Certainly, the lower procurement and maintenance costs of the KF-21, as well as South Korea's stance on technology sharing, are attractive to India. India may hope to balance its military cooperation with the U.S. and Russia while gaining time and technical accumulation for the AMCA project. However, it must be clear-eyed: even if the KF-21 is introduced, the Indian Air Force still needs to double its efforts in tactical application and system building, otherwise the KF-21 may not be able to gain an advantage over advanced opponents like the J-35.



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