The Sukhoi Su-30MKI is a two-seater, twinjet multirole air superiority fighter developed by Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi and built under licence by India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF). A variant of the Sukhoi Su-30, it is a heavy, all-weather, long-range fighter.

An air superiority fighter is a fighter aircraft designed to seize control of enemy airspace by establishing tactical dominance over the opposing air force. Air-superiority fighters are primarily tasked to perform aerial combat against agile, lightly armed aircraft and eliminate any challenge over control of the airspace, although some may have a secondary role for air-to-surface attacks.