NEW DELHI / WASHINGTON — India has conveyed to the United States that it is "not keen" on acquiring the American-made F-35 stealth fighter jets, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with bilateral discussions. The message was reportedly delivered in February during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the White House, where President Donald Trump had proposed the sale as part of an expanded defense relationship.
According to the report, New Delhi is more interested in pursuing defense partnerships that emphasize joint design, development, and manufacturing, rather than off-the-shelf purchases.
While the Bloomberg report has attracted considerable attention, India’s Ministry of External Affairs has downplayed its significance. Responding in Parliament on Friday, Minister of State for External Affairs clarified:
“The India-U.S. joint statement issued after the Prime Minister’s meeting with the U.S. President on 13 February 2025 noted that the U.S. would undertake a review of its policy regarding the release of fifth-generation fighter aircraft (such as the F-35) and undersea systems to India. However, no formal discussions on this matter have been held to date.”
Trade and Tariffs Cloud Defense Talks
The conversation around fighter jet sales comes amid rising trade tensions between the two nations. Earlier this week, the U.S. imposed 25% tariffs on a range of Indian imports after the two sides failed to finalize a long-awaited trade agreement by the August 1 deadline. President Trump, in a post on Truth Social, further announced that India would face an additional penalty, citing its continuing defense and energy engagements with Russia.
The U.S. currently runs a $41.18 billion trade deficit with India, and the Trump administration has consistently framed defense sales as a means to rebalance bilateral trade.
During Modi’s February visit, President Trump had stated that the U.S. was preparing to expand military exports to India significantly.
“We’ll be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars,” Trump said. “We’re also paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F-35 stealth fighters.”
Strategic Autonomy and Russian Alternatives
India’s cautious stance toward the F-35 is rooted in its broader defense policy, which prioritizes strategic autonomy and technology transfer—principles that have historically guided its arms procurement choices.
During his visit to India in April, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance promoted the F-35 as a potential game-changer for the Indian Air Force (IAF), emphasizing its advanced capabilities. His remarks came just days after both the F-35 and Russia’s Su-57 were showcased at the Aero India air show in Bengaluru.
Defense analysts suggest that the Su-57 offers advantages over the F-35, particularly in terms of cost, platform customization, and potential for technology sharing. These factors align more closely with India’s defense modernization goals, especially given the IAF’s long-standing reliance on Russian aircraft and infrastructure.
As geopolitical fault lines shift, India continues to walk a fine line between enhancing strategic partnerships with the U.S. and preserving longstanding defense ties with Russia—balancing sovereignty, affordability, and operational readiness.
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