India rejects US offer to buy F-35 stealth fighters

India Officially Rejects F-35: Why Doesn't Delhi Want to Buy America's Top Stealth Fighter?

The Indian government has recently informed US officials that it is not interested in buying F-35 fighter jets, according to a recent report by Bloomberg news agency. Photo: @ National Security Journal.

Earlier, an unnamed US official shared that the Indian government seemed unlikely to proceed with any new defence procurement contracts with the US, despite Washington's increasingly strong lobbying to encourage the country to increase defence imports. Photo: @19FortyFive.

The Indian government is increasingly interested in a partnership focused on jointly designing and manufacturing defence equipment domestically, the official added. Photo: @ Defence Blog.

India's official rejection of the F-35 comes after the US imposed new tariffs on the country, worsening relations, as well as a 39-day grounding of a Royal Navy F-35B in India over unspecified issues, which has drawn considerable ridicule from netizens and media in the South Asian country. Photo: @ National Security Journal.

Previously, the F-35 was thought to be unlikely to be purchased, largely due to the extensive controls the US places on how its fighter jets are used, which are particularly stringent for the highly sensitive fifth-generation aircraft. Photo: @19FortyFive.

Former Indian Air Chief Marshal Anil Chopra summarized India’s widespread concerns in February 2025, stating that Delhi remains cautious about the US’s pressure drive and its potential desire to alienate India from Russia. Photo: @19FortyFive.

He stressed that "it is very important to choose a reliable partner country that does not exert undue pressure," and at that time, he strongly implied that he would exclude the F-35. Photo: @ Defense News.

The level of operational control over the aircraft has raised concerns even among some of America's closest NATO allies, while the UK and Israel are the only customers allowed a significant degree of autonomy in how their fighter jets are operated. Photo: @ Defence Blog.

Indian Defense Minister Rajesh Kumar Singh confirmed in the second week of July that talks were underway to purchase the second of two Russian Su-57 fighter jets. These negotiations come despite years of persistent US pressure on Delhi to distance itself from Russia, especially in the area of defense cooperation. Photo: @ Defense News.

While India is currently looking to develop an indigenous fifth-generation fighter under the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program, this is not expected to materialize until the late 2030s, and possibly later, as the country’s major defense programs continue to suffer serious delays. Photo: @ Defence Blog.

This leaves the Su-57 as the only option for a fifth-generation aircraft in the short term. In May, Russia made an unprecedented offer to give the Indian Ministry of Defense full access to the Su-57’s source code as part of a major licensing deal. The offer is in stark contrast to the very strict US restrictions on modifying or using the F-35. Photo: @ Defense News.

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