Commentators at the US magazine Military Watch Magazine argue that the Russian fifth-generation Su-57 fighter, upgraded with Indian avionics and software in a serial configuration, could surpass the American F-35 in combat capabilities.

In an interview with the outlet, Indian Air Force captain M. J. O. Augustine Vinod said that combining the Russian airframe with domestically developed subsystems could be particularly effective for the Su-57. He argued that the aircraft’s twin-engine layout provides better flight performance and greater survivability compared with single-engine fighters.

Vinod noted that India already has substantial experience in deeply upgrading foreign platforms by integrating its own onboard systems and software suites. Such localization, he explained, makes it possible to tailor the aircraft more precisely to regional conditions, national communications standards and the country’s command-and-control system.

He also stressed that the Su-57’s twin-engine design offers additional power reserves to support energy-intensive radar systems, electronic warfare equipment and advanced sensor packages.