India keeps Su-30MKI in service despite growing Rafale and Tejas fleets

The Su-30MKI, first flown by the Indian Air Force in the late 1990s, continues to be the service's primary heavy fighter even as it expands its Rafale fleet and brings Tejas Mk-1A into service while developing Mk-2 and the AMCA. Its large twin-engine design offers superior range, payload and survivability that the newer Rafale and lighter Tejas cannot fully replace. With roughly 260 aircraft in service and further orders pending, the IAF plans a Super Sukhoi modernization that will add indigenous AESA radar, upgraded avionics and electronic-warfare suites.

Integration of Indian weapons like the Astra missile family and the air-launched BrahMos gives the Su-30MKI a unique long-range strike capability. The platform thus bridges India's current air-power needs and its future indigenous fighter ambitions, complementing rather than competing with Rafale and Tejas assets.