HAL Su-30MKIs Nashik Plant: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is bringing Su-30MKI production back to life at its Nashik unit, and that is a big moment for India’s fighter jet program. The plan is to build 12 new aircraft and finish deliveries by 2029. The first jet is expected to come out in 2027 or 2028. The Nashik facility has a long link with Russian-origin aircraft and has already built 222 Su-30MKIs for the Indian Air Force. HAL also says its Nashik division has handled Su-30MKI work for years and is now part of wider aircraft manufacturing there.
New jets with more Indian parts
The new order was signed in December 2024 for about ₹11,000 crore. These 12 jets are meant to replace aircraft lost in accidents. One important point is that the fresh batch will have more than 50% indigenous content, so a bigger share of the work and parts will come from India. That fits with the wider push to make defence production more local and less dependent on foreign supply chains.
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The bigger “Super Sukhoi” plan
The new production is only one part of the story. HAL is also preparing a major upgrade for the current Su-30MKI fleet. The upgrade bill is estimated at ₹60,000 crore. The work is expected to be done with support from DRDO and help from private industry. The idea is to turn the aircraft into a more powerful and more modern fighter, often described as the “Super Sukhoi” plan.
The modernisation is likely to happen in two phases. In the first phase, the aircraft will get new avionics and a new indigenous radar. That should help older jets spot targets from much farther away than before. The same phase also includes a new electronic warfare system, which can help jam enemy threats and make the jet harder to hit in a dangerous air battle.
The second phase will focus on flight control systems, so the aircraft can stay quick, smooth, and responsive in modern combat. The jets are also expected to get new infrared search-and-track systems, which let them find and follow targets without always using radar. That matters a lot in stealth-heavy warfare, where passive sensing can give a real edge.
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Boost for IAF
For the Indian Air Force, this is a two-way boost. On one side, it gets 12 new fighters with high Indian content. On the other, a large part of the existing fleet will be upgraded so it can keep serving well into the next decade. That makes the Su-30MKI a stronger backbone for air combat power at a time when regional threats are also growing more advanced. HAL’s Nashik unit is also now handling indigenous aircraft work.
