India Rejects F-35 Deal with US, Eyes Domestic Production and Russian Partnership Instead
By Staff, Agencies
India has decided against purchasing the US-made F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets, despite an earlier offer from US President Donald Trump.
The reversal comes in response to Washington’s imposition of a 25% tariff on Indian goods, a move that reportedly left Indian officials “shocked and disappointed.”
Although no formal retaliation has been announced by New Delhi, the decision to walk away from the F-35 signals growing frustration and a pivot in India’s defense procurement strategy.
Trump had pitched the F-35 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a White House meeting in February, promising expanded military sales.
However, skepticism surrounded the potential deal from the outset, especially due to India’s ongoing deployment of Russia’s S-400 air defense system—a system that led to Turkey’s removal from the F-35 program during Trump’s first term.
This incompatibility between the F-35 and S-400, coupled with India’s long-standing defense ties with Moscow, appears to have doomed the American offer. India remains Russia’s largest military customer and shows no sign of breaking that partnership.
Instead, Indian officials are emphasizing self-reliance under the “Make in India” initiative, focusing on co-developing and manufacturing military hardware domestically.
Recent reports suggest that New Delhi is considering a licensed production deal with Russia that could include the Su-57E fifth-generation fighter and the Su-35M air superiority jet. The proposal reportedly offers full technology transfer, allowing assembly at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s Nasik facility, which already produces the Su-30MKI.
While no agreement has been finalized, the shift away from buying foreign-made jets toward building advanced fighters at home reflects India’s broader strategic ambitions. As one Indian official put it: “Buying is not enough, we want to build.”
That stance may ultimately deliver a win for Russia’s Su-57 over America’s F-35 in one of the world’s most competitive defense markets.
