Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to hold a high-profile bilateral meeting in Delhi, with major defence cooperation expected to feature prominently in their discussions. Putin is visiting India for three days to attend the BRICS Summit, and officials are closely watching whether several proposed military agreements will move closer to finalisation.
According to the information provided, Moscow has proposed joint production of the fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57E stealth fighter in India, along with complete technology transfer. The proposal could become a key outcome of the meeting as India weighs its long-standing defence relationship with Russia against offers from other partners.
The discussions may also cover the modernisation of the Indian Air Force’s Sukhoi-30MKI fleet, popularly described as the “Super Sukhoi” programme. The upgrade is expected to include advanced radar, avionics, cockpit systems and enhanced defensive capabilities, while enabling the aircraft to operate advanced long-range weapons.
Additional Russian S-400 Triumf air-defence systems and Pantsir air-defence platforms are also reportedly under discussion. Pantsir combines radar, missiles and anti-aircraft guns and is designed to counter threats including aircraft, helicopters, drones and cruise missiles.
The potential agreements come against the backdrop of a wider debate over India’s fighter aircraft choices. During Modi’s February 2025 US visit, former President Donald Trump had offered India the F-35A. Russia subsequently proposed joint production and technology transfer for the Su-57E.
The Modi-Putin meeting could therefore signal how India intends to balance strategic autonomy, military modernisation and its decades-old defence partnership with Moscow.
