Days after US President Donald Trump publicly pitched to sell F-35 stealth aircraft to India, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said the formal offer is still to come from Washington. But the Defence Secretary made it clear that the government will look into the proposal once it is made, with an “open mind”.
The offer, interestingly, of F-35 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US from February 10 to February 13, was not against a demand raised by India, sources in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) privy to the development, stated.
The US will have to first amend its own policy to sell the next generation aircraft, possessed by a few countries like China and Russia, to India, MoD sources said, indicating it will take some time before the ball gets rolling.
Lockheed Martin, the American aerospace and defence company, is the manufacturer of F-35 stealth jets.
On being asked to comment on the US proposal to sell F-35 fighters, which participated at the just held Aero India 2025, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said on Monday evening, “it is not an offer yet. What he (Trump) said is that they will look at a roadmap to make that (F-35) available. We will look into the offer after it becomes a firm offer. In any case, our procurements are done through a process.. Creating an option is important and we will look into it with an open mind.”
Trump’s announcement on the intent to sell F-35 aircraft, which is also part of the US Air Force fleet, has engineered a debate in the security and defence space, with some experts and government officials weighing its impact on the in-house development of similar fifth generation aircraft, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
- Also read: Trump offers F-35 to India; experts deliberate on its implications to indigenous development of AMCA
Stop-gap arrangement
MoD officials stated that the government has AMCA in mind and it may consider F-35 as a stop-gap arrangement to fill IAF’s capacity deficiency, which is at its worse fleet strength, before the indigenous fifth generation aircraft get inducted into the IAF.
It will also offer competition to the domestic production of the fifth generation aircraft, Ministry officials pointed out.
Some government sources, however, are apprehensive that the US move is likely to cloud the self-reliance attempts to have indigenous fifth generation stealth aircraft, AMCA, which Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO’s) Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) has developed and displayed its full-scale model at the Aero India.
Besides, it’s too costly to buy and maintain at least two squadrons of F-35 — a route which can be explored similar to induction of Rafale fighter jets, bought from Dassault Aviation of France, sources pointed out.
- Also read: Trade talks, energy deals, F-35 jets top Modi-Trump talks to strengthen ties
As per the timelines shared by the ADA, it is expected to be inducted into the IAF by 2035-36. DRDO sources are also keeping their fingers crossed over the F-35 offer and fear that it would further delay the production of AMCA, which will be powered by US-based GE’s F-414 engine that would be co-produced in India.
Recently, retired IAF Chief Vivek Ram Chaudhari was cautious in his reaction as he said, “…What the fifth-generation fighters can bring to us, that is more important, which aircraft it will be, this is a secondary matter. Our own AMCA programme has just started, and we want that whatever technologies come, it should encourage our self-reliance a little more and give a further boost to our AMCA programme.”
Speaking at an event on Monday evening, Michael Williamson, President of Lockheed Martin International, said his company is committed to Make in India and “supports expediting multirole fighter aircraft procurement to fill IAF structured requirements and also deliver required indigenous content.”
“We have the capability to render support on upcoming strategic procurements, including of fighters, medium transport aircraft, javelins and helicopters that will further empower the Indian armed forces with 21st century security solutions,” Michael said while speaking at Defence Conclave.