Video: Why India Is Being Offered a Jet That Never Entered War

Russia is offering India the Su-57E, the export variant of its fifth-generation stealth fighter. Despite advanced features like stealth design, powerful engines, and high-end radar, the jet has seen little real combat. In the Ukraine war, Russia deployed it cautiously, mostly for long-range missile strikes from its own airspace. No confirmed missions show the Su-57 entering deep Ukrainian territory or engaging in dogfights. It avoided contested zones to minimize exposure to Ukrainian air defenses. Russia insists the jet has carried out precision strikes and suppression roles, aided by electronic warfare and radar systems, but its sorties have been few and largely outside high-risk zones—unlike the Su-34 and Su-25, which have flown widely but suffered losses.