India has always been keeping a very close eye on China's national defense construction, especially in the area of weapons and equipment of the People's Liberation Army. Recently, some Indian media published an article saying that 10 years later, that is, in 2035, the number of fifth-generation stealth fighters J-20 equipped by the People's Liberation Army Air Force will increase to 1,000 aircraft. Judging from the current situation, it is unlikely that the dispute between China and India in the border area will be resolved, and there is a risk that a local military conflict or even a large-scale war will break out between the two countries around this dispute.
Therefore, in the past few years, the two countries have carried out highly targeted air combat force deployments in the border areas, such as the Indian Air Force, which has prioritized the deployment of "Rafale" fighters imported from France to air bases close to the Sino-Indian border; As for China, there are reports that a batch of J-20s has been stationed at an air base in Xinjiang. Judging from the military deployments of the two countries, both sides are preparing for potential risks. In this context, India is naturally very anxious and worried about the growth of the number of J-20s, and is also looking for means and equipment to deal with the J-20. First of all, it is certainly unrealistic to expect India's self-developed fifth-generation aircraft, a fourth-generation aircraft like "Brilliant", which India has developed itself for decades, has not yet been completely completed, and most of the core components have to rely on the supply of Western countries.
Through the performance of the "Brilliant" fighter, it is enough to show that in the past few decades, India's aviation industry technology has almost stood still, and at present and for a long time in the future, India does not have the ability to develop its own fifth-generation aircraft, and it is really necessary to wait until the day when India's domestic fifth-generation aircraft makes a breakthrough, perhaps China's sixth-generation aircraft have been equipped in batches. I can't count on it, that is, I can only buy fifth-generation aircraft from other countries. Interestingly, recently Indian media reported that the Indian military is interested in the Russian fifth-generation aircraft Su-57 and has plans to purchase it. The reason why it is said "interesting" is because India did not look down on the Su-57 before, saying that the stealth ability of the Su-57 was too poor, so it gave up this fifth-generation aircraft.
I couldn't look at it before, but now I want to buy it, what is the reason? On the one hand, it is related to the rapid growth of the number of fifth-generation aircraft in China, and the large-scale equipment of the J-20 has put the Indian Air Force under pressure, although the "Rafale" and Su-30MKI equipped by the Indian Air Force are not bad fighters, but it is still a bit difficult to use the fourth-generation aircraft against the fifth-generation aircraft, and the Indian Air Force urgently needs the fifth-generation aircraft. On the other hand, the fifth-generation aircraft that India has the opportunity to buy at the moment may be the Su-57. There may be some people who say that India and the United States have such good relations, why not buy the F-35? India wants to buy it, and the United States wants to sell it, but there are conditions for this deal, and a potential condition for the United States to sell the F-35 to India is that India will stay away from Russia and completely join the US camp.
India cannot accept this condition alone, and India does not dare to choose between the United States and Russia, and India needs to curry favor with both sides. If this condition is not agreed, it is unlikely that the United States will sell the F-35 to India, so India can only turn back now and consider the Su-57 again. But now, if India wants to buy the Su-57, it is unlikely, because the Russian Aerospace Forces are not equipped enough and there is no surplus for India. If New Delhi really wants to, it has to invest in the production line of the Su-57 and increase the production capacity of the Su-57, so that there is a chance to buy it.