ans ▁suddenly ▁demanded ▁seven ▁billion ▁dollars ▁that ▁the ▁Indians ▁could ▁not ▁afford . ▁An ▁Indian ▁committee ▁has ▁reported ly ▁been ▁set ▁up ▁to ▁evaluate ▁need ▁for ▁F G FA ▁in ▁light ▁of ▁the ▁price ▁increase ▁and ▁progress ▁on ▁the ▁H AL ▁AM CA ▁project . ▁ ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁reported ▁that ▁India ▁and ▁Russia ▁are ▁studying ▁an ▁upgrade ▁to ▁the ▁Su - 3 5 ▁with ▁ste alth ▁technology ▁( similar ▁to ▁the ▁F - 1 5 ▁Sil ent ▁E agle ) ▁as ▁a ▁more ▁afford able ▁alternative ▁to ▁the ▁F G FA . ▁ ▁India ' s ▁rel uct ance ▁to ▁continue ▁programme ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁Indian ▁Air ▁Force ▁c ited ▁demand ing ▁maintenance ▁programs , ▁and ▁high ▁maintenance ▁costs ▁as ▁main ▁reasons ▁behind ▁its ▁rel uct ance ▁to ▁proceed ▁with ▁the ▁project . ▁India ▁pre fers ▁to ▁produce ▁its ▁own ▁fifth - gener ation ▁f ighter ▁to ▁maintain ▁par ity ▁with ▁China ' s ▁air ▁force ▁that ▁has ▁recently ▁deb uted ▁the ▁Ch eng du ▁J - 2 0 ▁ste alth ▁f ighter . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 0 ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁it ▁was ▁reported ▁that ▁India ▁had ▁left ▁the ▁project . ▁India ▁officials ▁reported ▁that ▁they ▁became ▁increasing ly ▁disappoint ed ▁with ▁the ▁project ' s ▁progress ▁after ▁long ▁years ▁of ▁negoti ations , ▁del ays , ▁and ▁strugg les ▁with ▁Russian ▁contract ors . ▁They ▁assert ed ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁not ▁satisfied ▁with ▁the ▁capabilities ▁of ▁the