United Aircraft Corporation, part of Rostec, delivered another batch of Su-35S fighters to the Russian Aerospace Forces on November 1, according to TASS. Open-source tallies indicate this is at least the sixth Su-35S delivery reported in 2025, a faster tempo with implications for force readiness and procurement timelines.
If these deliveries are confirmed, then heavily sanctioned Russia is importing aircraft parts from China and India, for which Russia’s Rostec has a co-production agreement for Su-30MKK and Su-30MKI.
China reverse-engineered the Su-27 and built its own J-11A, J-11B and J-16. India produced the Su-30MKI, utilising Israeli and French technology on top of the Su-27 aircraft.
China and India assisted Russia’s UAC.
Reuters reported that China supplies aircraft parts to Russia, including dual-use components for both civilian and military aircraft. While some Chinese companies have stated they are ready to supply spare parts to Russian airlines, others are specifically providing military parts for aircraft like the Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and Mi-17 helicopters, often circumventing international sanctions.
Reports indicate that Chinese state-owned firms supply dual-use components like semiconductors, as well as explicitly military items for aircraft such as the Su-35 and Mi-17.
Suppliers are shipping items including engine parts, navigation equipment, and other components for fighter jets and helicopters.
Some Chinese companies have established specific channels to provide parts to Russia, with official statements indicating no restrictions on this type of trade from the Chinese side.
Many of the supplied items, such as microchips and machine tools, are dual-use, meaning they can be used for both civilian and military purposes, making it harder to track and sanction.
China’s manufacturing capacity has made Russia increasingly reliant on its supply chain for defense manufacturing and aircraft maintenance.
This reliance gives China more potential leverage in its relationship with Russia, particularly in military technology exchange.
A report from March 2025 alleged that HAL had shipped military components to Russia, which were flagged as “dual-use” technology.
HAL has denied these allegations, stating that the report was factually incorrect and misleading.
Other reports have indicated that Indian intermediaries were re-exporting Western-made aircraft parts to Russia, a separate issue from HAL’s direct activities.
Delivery time matters for Russia
The Su-35S is a deeply modernised evolution of the Su-27 family; however, it retains legacy avionics, armaments, and a phased array radar. Powered by twin engines with thrust-vectoring nozzles, the aircraft lacks a modern radar and sensor suite, which would enable it to employ long-range air-to-air missiles and precision-guided surface-to-surface attack weapons.
The Su-35S program followed a pragmatic path that reused a proven airframe while integrating known avionics, Soviet-era propulsion, and weapons, reducing time to serial production and limiting costs compared with designing a new platform from scratch. The current rise in output points to an industrial shift from a steady, moderate production rate to a sustained higher one, enabling faster squadron formation, replenishment of aircraft lost or worn in operations, and a larger pool of mission-ready fighters available to commanders.
At the broader geostrategic level, building up a large non-stealth but old fighter inventory is the only option Russia has.
Overall, the pattern of deliveries signals that China and India are deeply involved in producing Su-35S in Russia.
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