After clearing the Rafale jet deal with France, India is now set to formalise the procurement of a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, with the Sukhoi-57 from Russia emerging as the first choice. The jet had made a flying demonstration at Aero India in Bengaluru in February last year.The Ministry of Defence and the IAF discussed the immediate need for having a fifth-generation jet due to China’s growing fleet, sources said. China has operational fifth-generation jets — the J-20 and the J-35. It has promised to give these to Pakistan. It was the first “sop” Beijing announced for Islamabad after the India-Pakistan conflict in May last year. The Russian Sukhoi-57 is the first choice as a stopgap arrangement till India’s own fifth-generation jet — the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) — is ready in 10 years from now.The US option of a fifth-generation jet — the F-35 — is not being considered as India fears US restrictions on operating such a plane. Among the restrictions could include non-integration of Indian weapons on board. The existing IAF fleet of Sukhoi-30MKI jets have mated even the BrahMos and was used in Operation Sindoor. Without the integration, India will be forced to buy costly arsenal from western nations.The restrictions US has imposed on the Pakistan Air Force for the F-16 jests was cited by the sources, saying each sortie is monitored by the US. Engineers from the US are based in Pakistan airbases even for routine maintenance.Ironically, in February last year, US President Donald Trump, at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington DC, had said, “We will be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars. We are also paving the way to ultimately provide India with F-35 stealth fighters”.Another option weighing in favour of the Russian offer is the commonality of maintenance the Sukhoi-57 will have with the Sukhoi-30MKI. The Russians have made an offer of the Sukhoi-57. A team came and saw the facilities available at the Nashik unit of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).“We are yet to start negotiations with the Russians; that will happen once IAF teams take a deep dive into what all is on offer,” the sources said.In 2007, India signed an agreement with Russia for the joint development of a fifth-generation fighter aircraft in collaboration with HAL. Although both nations initially committed $6 billion for the project, India withdrew in 2018, citing concerns over cost, work share and perceived capability gaps.A fifth-generation aircraft is defined by its capabilities that allows the pilot to maintain decision superiority over an adversary. Onboard sensors and stealth technology make it tough for enemy radars to track a fifth-generation plane that is backed by millions of software codes.The classification of a generational shift occurs when a technological innovation cannot be incorporated into an existing aircraft through upgrades and retrospective fit-outs.The first-generation subsonic jet fighters are from mid-1940s to mid-1950s; the second-generation jets from mid-1950s to early 1960s; third-generation jets from early 1960s to 1970; fourth-generation jet fighters from 1970 to late 1980s; after which four-and-a-half-generation jet fighters had followed. The fifth-generation arrived in 2005 when the US unveiled the F-22 Raptor.