Can India’s Air Force Match Pakistan’s J-35 Edge?

WORLD NEWS

By Aniket Chakraborty May 23, 2025 Arrow

But in 2025, the skies are changing—dogfights are giving way to stealth and AI.

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Pakistan is fast-tracking 40 Chinese J-35A stealth jets by 2026 to match India’s Rafales.

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India’s AMCA 5.5-gen jet won’t fly until 2028—leaving a worrying gap for the IAF.

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Russia’s Su-57E and the US F-35 are on offer—but only one fits India’s needs.

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The Su-57 costs less, can be locally made, and carries a wider missile arsenal.

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The F-35 is tightly controlled by the US, expensive to maintain, and harder to customize.

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Pakistan’s J-35 may be stealthier—but the Su-57 beats it in speed, payload, and radar range.

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India’s fighter strength is just 30 squadrons—8 more set to retire soon.

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To counter the J-35, India may need to act fast—or risk ceding air dominance by 2030.

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