Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh said in Jodhpur that the United States had made no formal offer to sell India fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets. He also drew attention to Indian representatives’ limited access to the aircraft during the multinational Tarang Shakti-2026 exercise.
Access to the aircraft was limited
At a press conference following the exercise, Singh appeared alongside US Pacific Air Forces commander General Kevin Schneider. As NDTV World reports, the Indian military chief said that the US side had not allowed Indian representatives to get close to the aircraft, despite discussions about their possible sale.
According to Singh, the US military did not show the Indian side the F-35 cockpit, but allowed close-formation flights. Six US F-35 Lightning II fighter jets took part in the Tarang Shakti-2026 exercise for the first time.
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General Schneider replied that decisions on the scope of information available for transfer to other countries were not within his competence. He explained that the procedure for sharing data is determined by security classification guidelines, which regulate what information can be disclosed, when and in what manner.
Offer regarding the Su-57
Singh also confirmed that Russia, an aggressor state, had offered India fifth-generation Su-57 fighter jets. According to him, no decision on this offer has yet been made.
India is considering an interim option for acquiring fifth-generation fighter jets, as its own Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft project is not yet ready to enter service. The potential purchase would involve not only acquiring aircraft, but also issues of access to technology, systems integration, weapons, maintenance and long-term strategic dependence.
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