Putin just finished his trip to India and threw out a "big news" that made military enthusiasts restless. Russia and India directly decided to finalize the deal for 140 Su-57E fighter jets. Once this news came out, not only did the military enthusiasts stir up a storm, but even ordinary netizens gathered to ask what these two countries were really up to.

First, let's talk about India, which really has "a shortage of planes" written all over its face. Previously, the Indian Air Force had 39 fighter jet squadrons, but now that's not the case. Those aging MiG-21s are being retired one after another, dropping the squadron count directly to 29.

You should know that to "call the shots in South Asia," they need 42-43 squadrons, and that gap is not small at all.

Earlier, India also looked at the U.S. F-35A, but the Americans were tighter than a seal; wanting to buy planes was fine, but touching core technology? No way!

Turning to Russia, their attitude was simply "heartfelt," first providing 40 ready-made jets for India's emergency needs, and then helping to build a factory in Nashik for India to produce 100 jets on its own!

What’s even bolder is that the stealth coating and phased array radar technologies, which are usually kept under wraps, are willing to be shared. They even dare to open up the source code for the onboard systems, meaning the Su-57E is practically laid bare in India!

What excites India the most is the price; local production would greatly reduce costs, and who wouldn't be tempted by such a bargain?

But why is Russia suddenly so "generous"? To put it simply, they are in a bind. Over the past four years, Russia’s military trade export volume has dropped by 50%, and only 76 Su-57s have been ordered in their own country, making it difficult to even gather funds for next-generation aircraft development.

Once this order for 140 jets is signed, it is expected to bring considerable revenue to Russia, and with India as a "live advertisement," you can see that Algeria is already considering a purchase, and possibly more countries will follow.

Ultimately, this deal is about both Russia and India getting what they want: India solves its "plane shortage" urgency and can learn technology, while Russia earns money and stabilizes its military trade market.

However, it remains to be seen whether this deal will go smoothly, as the aerial situation in South Asia might change because of these 140 jets!