India's Long-Standing Requirement for a Twin-Seat Fighter Finally Met

Russia's Su-57D Twin-Seat Fighter Meets India's Long-Standing Requirement

The development of Russia's Su-57D twin-seat fifth-generation fighter has been directly linked to a long-standing requirement of India, as confirmed by Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov. Speaking at the NDTV Defence Summit 2026, Alipov revealed that the two-seat version of Russia's Su-57 was developed specifically with Indian requirements in mind.

The Su-57D made its maiden flight in May 2026 and is currently undergoing flight testing. According to the United Aircraft Corporation, the jet is a multirole aircraft that can also serve as a combat trainer and command-and-control platform for manned-unmanned operations. This capability is increasingly valuable as Russia and other air forces explore manned-unmanned teaming, where a fighter acts as a command node for accompanying unmanned combat aircraft.

The link between the Su-57D and India's old requirement is particularly interesting, given that Russia is now actively offering the Su-57 to India. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently recalled that Moscow had invited India to jointly develop a fifth-generation fighter under the FGFA programme and said that the country remains ready to cooperate with India in this field.

However, India's current position is far from settled. Defence Secretary RK Singh said at the same NDTV Defence Summit that the government has yet to take a decision on acquiring a foreign fifth-generation fighter while identifying the AMCA as its principal indigenous fifth-generation programme. India once sought a two-seat fifth-generation fighter under FGFA, but the joint programme ended, and India pursued the AMCA instead.

The Su-57D's development aligns with India's 2015 request, which was one of the long-standing points of friction with the now-defunct FGFA programme between India and Russia. The Indo-Russian FGFA programme was based on the Russian PAK FA/T-50 design that evolved into the Su-57. India eventually pulled out of the programme due to disagreements over technology transfer, development issues, cost, and aircraft configuration.

The Su-57D now meets the configuration that India had sought more than a decade ago. UAC says the two-seat aircraft has been developed to expand the fighter's functions beyond conventional pilot training. The additional seat can be used for combat-control duties and to manage groups of manned and unmanned aircraft and create a common information and control environment.

This capability is crucial for manned-unmanned teaming, where fighters coordinate with drones. The Su-57D's development effectively addresses a key difference between India's and Russia's FGFA programme requirements. Russia's offer of the Su-57 to India, with technology transfer and industrial cooperation, is a significant shift in their fifth-generation fighter programme.

As India continues to evaluate its options, the Su-57D's development presents an opportunity for the country to revisit its fifth-generation fighter programme. The Su-57D's capabilities, combined with Russia's willingness to cooperate, make it an attractive option for India's air force. The future of India's fifth-generation fighter programme remains uncertain, but the Su-57D's development is a significant step forward in meeting India's long-standing requirement for a twin-seat fighter.