The Su-57 stealth fighter took off for the first time in Indian skies on February 10 on the first day of the largest Aero India 2025 exhibition in Asia.
On the morning of February 10, India opened Asia’s largest aerospace exhibition at the Yelahanka air base in Bengaluru, Karnataka, according to RT.
The exhibition has the participation of more than 150 foreign companies. Defense ministers or representatives from about 30 countries also attended. This is a rare air show where the US and Russia both brought modern stealth fighters such as the F-35 and Su-57.
On the first day of the exhibition, Russia showed off the power and flexibility of the Su-57 fighter through a performance by veteran pilot Sergey Bogdan, 62 years old.
This is the first time the Su-57 fighter has taken off in the Indian sky. The video released by the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) shows the Su-57 fighter performing, including the angle inside the cockpit. UAC emphasized that the Su-57 is the first 5th generation stealth fighter to demonstrate combat capabilities against Western air defense systems.
“As a test pilot, I can say that the Su-57 has unique capabilities that have been rigorously tested and proven in real combat conditions,” Bogdan told RT on the sidelines of the event.
Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov revealed on the same day that the US had refused to allow F-35 and F-16 fighters to perform at the air show when it learned that the Su-57 had registered to fly. “The fact is that Russia’s competitors did not want to try. When they learned that the Su-57 would perform in India, the US did not allow the F-35A and F-16 fighters to take off,” Alipov said.
At the China Air Show in November 2024, Western experts recognized that the Su-57 has a leading aerodynamic design and flexible operation, which has always been a strength of the Russian aircraft manufacturing industry.
Meanwhile, the head of Russia’s state defense export agency Rosoboronexport, Alexander Mikheev, said that Moscow will complete its first export order for the Su-57 fighter this year. Russia has also expressed its readiness to sell the fifth-generation stealth fighter to India if the country is interested.
“The Russian-Indian partnership has a long history, with deep cooperation and technology sharing. We will not only sell aircraft to India, but also jointly produce domestic versions of the aircraft and establish a local maintenance facility,” UAC CEO Vadim Badekha told RT.
