Russia seeks co-op with India on “Su-75 Checkmate” fighter jet project

A Russian delegation will discuss the potential cooperation with India in creating fifth-generation aircraft at the Aero India 2023 airshow, TASS reports, citing a source close to the Rostec State Corporation.

The matter concerns the Russian-made “Su-75 Checkmate” tactical fighter jet.

"We are planning to invite Indian friends to enter the Checkmate light tactical fighter project," the source said.

The Su-75 Checkmate is a fifth-generation, futuristic single-engine light tactical advanced aerial combat aircraft being developed by Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi. The stealth fighter jet will provide high performance and low per-hour operating costs.

The Checkmate aircraft was first unveiled at the MAKS 2021 international aviation show held in Zhukovsky, Russia in July 2021. A prototype was presented at the Dubai Airshow 2021, which marked the first overseas presentation of the aircraft.

The first flight of the fighter was planned for 2024, and the first batch would be produced in 2026. Its cost was estimated at $25-30 million.