Super Sukhoi: India, Russia Test New Fighter Jet As IAF Weighs Su-30 Upgrade With New Engine & Radar

India is not retiring its Su-30MKI. It is being rebuilt for future combat. Russian and Indian crews have just flown the more advanced Su-30SM2 during Indra 2026 exercises in Russia’s Chelyabinsk region, training against small, low-flying targets and practising intercepts. India is now considering a deep modernisation of its massive Su-30 fleet under the Super Sukhoi initiative, with better engines, longer range, new missiles and sharper combat performance. The first batch could cover 84 aircraft, with more than 200 additional fighters to follow, and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is expected to play a central role. Estimates put the new engine’s thrust at about 142 kilonewtons, against 123 for the existing AL-31FP. We compare the Su-30MKI and Su-30SM2 on engines, thrust, radar, and weapons, and explain why an engine swap is not plug-and-play. Is this a routine exercise or a preview of India’s biggest fighter overhaul in years? Shreya Chandra gives the full breakdown. Subscribe for more defence news. #sukhoi #indianairforce #su30mki #su30sm2 #supersukhoi #brahmos #al41f1s #iaf #india #russia #indra2026 #hal #su57 #defencenews #fighterjet #operationsindoor #timesaxis #toi 00:00 India’s Su-30 Fleet Is Being Rebuilt 00:55 What Happened During Indra 2026? 01:25 India’s Super Sukhoi Upgrade Plan 02:04 The Engine Upgrade: AL-41F1S 02:30 New Missiles, Weapons And Combat Systems 03:27 Su-30MKI vs Su-30SM2: Key Differences 03:59 Why The New Engine Matters 04:34 Radar, Sensors And Electronic Warfare Upgrade 05:14 Su-30 Upgrade And Russia’s Su-57 Offer 05:41 Why India Still Needs The Su-30MKI 05:57 Can The Super Sukhoi Carry India Into The Future? AXIS is where the world is explained through India’s lens. For decades, global narratives have been shaped by Western media... told through Washington, London or Beijing. But as India rises as a major economic, military and diplomatic power, why should others define the world for us? Why shouldn’t India shape its own voice, own perspective, and own narrative? That’s where AXIS comes in. We decode global power shifts, wars and conflicts, the India-China rivalry, Pakistan, West Asia, oil shocks, trade battles and neighbourhood politics - with one key question: What does this mean for India and for you? As India rises, so should its share of voice! Subscribe To AXIS — The World Through INDIA'S LENS. #India #Geopolitics #China #Pakistan #Bangladesh #WorldNews #Defence #IndianArmy #Indian Navy #IAF #TimesAXIS #TOI