Moscow has struggled to find foreign client states for its self-proclaimed top-of-the-line fifth-generation fighter series. In order to sweeten a deal in the works with India, Russia’s state-owned United Aircraft Corporation revealed that it would provide New Delhi with unprecedented access to the platform’s source code. If the potential acquisition comes to fruition, the Indian Defense Ministry would be able to possess full autonomy of the Su-57s it receives. Although the Russian jet’s source code is not believed to be as complex as its American-made F-35 Lightning II counterpart, its source code is still superior to its predecessors.

Nearly three-quarters of India’s existing fleet of military aircraft are of Russian origin. The defense ties between the two nations are quite extensive, making the potential delivery of the export version of the 

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