The procurement of F-35 fifth-generation fighter fighters has not been the subject of any formal talks or negotiations with the United States, the Indian government has formally told the Lok Sabha.
In answer to a query from Congress MP Balwant Baswant Wankhade, Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs, offered this explanation. No specific discussion or proposal has emerged on this front, despite allusions to a possible US policy review on the transfer of cutting-edge military platforms like the F-35 to India in the joint statement between the US and India released following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington in February 2025.
India has essentially ruled out any quick defensive procurement from the US, including the F-35 jets, according to reports from Bloomberg and other media sites that cited unnamed sources. This official stance is consistent with those claims.
In order to deal with the consequences from President Donald Trump’s declaration of a 25% tariff hike on Indian exports, which went into effect on August 1, 2025, the Indian government is instead looking into commercial and diplomatic options. According to reports, Indian officials are not taking any retaliatory action in response to the tariff announcement, but they did express shock and displeasure. In order to preserve bilateral commercial connections, New Delhi is instead considering boosting imports from the US, such as gold, natural gas, and telecom equipment.
Rejecting the F-35 offer is in line with India’s larger defense purchasing strategy, which is centered on collaborative research and manufacturing under its “Make in India” campaign as opposed to off-the-shelf purchases from overseas vendors. President Trump lobbied for the sale of F-35A stealth fighter fighters during PM Modi’s February 2025 visit to Washington, but Indian diplomats expressed a preference for co-development agreements.
India’s refusal to buy the F-35 is seen by analysts as a sign of the country’s continued difficulties in producing its own defenses, as evidenced by the limited success of its indigenous fighters, such as the TEJAS program, and a strategic decision that prioritizes long-term sovereignty and independence over short-term acquisitions. According to reports, India is also looking into other options, such bolstering its own aerospace sector in partnership with nations like France and acquiring Russian fifth-generation Su-57 aircraft.
President Trump’s public remarks after the tariff decision seem to have added to the tensions in the US-India relationship. Trump criticized India’s defense and energy connections with Russia and charged that the country maintains strict trade barriers.
Notably, in posts on his social media portal Truth Social, he described Russia and India’s geopolitical significance as “dead economies.” According to reports, these remarks have complicated bilateral trade negotiations and highlighted underlying geopolitical tensions amid continuing diplomatic communications on other fronts, such as the US’s efforts to defuse tensions between India and Pakistan after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22.
Through diplomatic and military channels, including to US authorities like Vice President J.D. Vance, the administration has communicated in these encounters in a focused, methodical, and non-escalatory manner.
Prioritizing domestic cooperation and trade diplomacy in a complex bilateral environment characterized by recent trade tensions and geopolitical challenges, India has not entered into formal discussions for the purchase of F-35 fighter jets as of August 2025, despite earlier indications in joint statements and US outreach.
