After making appearances at China, India, and Brazilian Air Shows over the last six months, Russia is now promoting its fifth-generation Su-57E stealth aircraft to Southeast Asian countries at LIMA 2025, which is taking place in Malaysia.
Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport announced on May 19 that it will demonstrate the Su-57E fifth-generation fighter jet (the export variant of the Su-57) at the LIMA 2025 international maritime and aerospace exhibition in Malaysia, Russian state news agency TASS reported. The show kicks off on May 20 and concludes on May 24.
“The aviation component is the exhibition’s main theme. In this segment, the company will feature the latest Russian Su-57E fifth-generation fighter, which will be of interest to both representatives of the Malaysian Royal Air Force and other Southeast Asian countries. Its basic advantage before a small group of rivals is its successful combat experience in a real armed conflict amid the enemy’s use of advanced aerial attack, air defense, and electronic warfare capabilities,” the Rosoboronexport press office said in a statement.
In addition to the Su-57E, the Russian combat aircraft participating in LIMA 2025 include Su-30SM and Su-35S supermanoeuvrable fighters.
These aircraft, combat-hardened in the Ukraine War, will conduct aerobatic manoeuvres as part of the Russian Knights team. The other aircraft taking part in the show include the Il-76MD-90A(E) military transport aircraft, the Ka-52E and Mi-28NME combat helicopters, and the Mi-171Sh transport rotorcraft.
The Su-57 ‘Felon’ aircraft’s debut in Malaysia follows three high-profile debuts in about six months: the China Air Show in Zhuhai in November 2024, the Aero India Air Show in Bengaluru in February 2025, and the LAAD arms show in Brazil in April 2025.
While Moscow has not expressly stated if it will officially pitch the Su-57E to Kuala Lumpur or any other Southeast Asian country, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) had earlier examined the Russian stealth fighter up close at the Chinese and Indian Air Shows. Moreover, the RMAF operates the Su-30MKM—a tailored variant of the Russian Su-30.
Earlier, reports in the local Malaysian media indicated that the RMAF was exploring the possibility of acquiring the Su-57 as part of its Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) program. However, the Malaysian leadership has not substantiated these claims.
Designed to compete with NATO’s fifth-generation fighters, such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II, the Su-57 is a supersonic, twin-engine fifth-generation aircraft designed to destroy air, ground, and naval targets. The aircraft features enhanced stealth with the help of composite materials and can reach a supersonic cruising speed.
Russian participation in LIMA 2025 comes as the country aggressively promotes military equipment for export, banking on its combat experience in the grinding Ukraine War.
Russia has registered a steep fall in arms exports over the last few years owing to slowed manufacturing, preoccupation with the Ukraine War, and industrial difficulties caused by international sanctions. According to the latest SIPRI report, Russia’s arms exports decreased by 64% between 2015–19 and 2020–24.
Russia has particularly struggled with the production of its fifth-generation fighter jet. However, the delivery of the latest batch of Su-57 to the Russian Aerospace Forces inspires confidence in production.
In February 2025, an Algerian state broadcaster aired a report hinting that it had become the first customer of the Su-57 aircraft. However, neither side has officially confirmed the purchase.
Russia, for its part, continues to promote the aircraft by offering attractive deals like joint production and transfer of technology.
The Su-57’s debut in India was accompanied by a renewed offer to sell the stealth aircraft to India. The offer included the supply of ready-made aircraft, the transfer of technology, joint production of the aircraft in India, and assistance in developing India’s fifth-generation fighter.
As Russia debuts its Su-57 in Malaysia, the pro-Russian media have been pushing the narrative that India must acquire the Russian stealth aircraft to dominate the Pakistani and Chinese combat jets.
Su-57 For India
After India launched air strikes deep inside Pakistan as part of Operation Sindoor earlier this month, Pakistan claimed to have shot down five Indian fighter jets in retaliation.
Without furnishing any credible evidence, it claimed that its Chinese-origin J-10CE fighter armed with a long-range PL-15E missile had shot down three Rafale fighters belonging to the Indian Air Force.
Interestingly, the pro-Russian media started amplifying these threats, much like the Western, Turkish, and Chinese media. These claims remain unverified ten days after a ceasefire came into effect.
In fact, several Indian and Western experts have now made arguments that essentially debunk these claims, even though the Indian government has yet to deny them.
However, Russian military experts and media have exploited the situation to promote the export of Su-57E to India as the best way forward.
Sputnik News, for instance, cited Military analyst Igor Korotchenko as saying: “India’s NEXT MOVE: MADE IN INDIA SU-57? Urgency: Pakistan’s Chinese J-10Cs forced India’s hand. Russia’s offer: Two-seat Su-57MKI with R-37M missiles (400km range—longest in the world). ‘Make in India’ production at HAL factories. Game-changer: Would dominate PLAAF & PAF for decades.”
Some Russian social media bloggers have gone so far as to say that since the IAF Rafales are no match to the Chinese J-10C, India would now be well advised to procure Russian Su-57 fighters. You can read a detailed report by EurAsian Times on this here.
India, for its part, has remained tight-lipped since February 2025, when Russia renewed the offer for Su-57. In March, Rosoboronexport further sweetened the deal by signalling it would leverage the existing Su-30MKI infrastructure for the local production of Su-57E in India.
“In case of a positive decision by the Indian side, the production of the Russian fifth-generation Su-57E fighter jet can be started at the factories currently producing the Su-30MKI fighter within a short time,” it said in a statement.
In a nutshell, Russia is offering India three things: local production of Su-57E, modernization of Su-30MKI, and assistance with India’s own fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program.
