F-35 pitch puts focus on IAF modernisation
Trump’s F-35 offer lacked finer details, and the proposed sale will require a US policy review and protracted negotiations after India formally kicks off the acquisition process
New DelhiAs India and the US reaffirmed their commitment to a dynamic defence partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States, President Donald Trump’s announcement on Thursday that America is paving the way for India to get the F-35 stealth fighters emerged as one of the biggest takeaways.
Putting the F-35 on the table is significant on three counts -- India is firmly pushing ahead with an ambitious plan to develop an indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter, or the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA); Russia has offered to jointly produce its Su-57 stealth fighter in the country; and the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been scouting for 114 multi-role fighter aircraft.
“Starting this year, we will be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars. We are also paving the way to ultimately provide F-35 stealth fighters,” Trump said at a joint media briefing with Modi, who said America had an important role to play in India’s defence preparedness.
“As strategic and trusted partners, we are actively moving in the direction of joint development, joint production and transfer of technology,” Modi said.
Trump’s F-35 offer lacked finer details, and the proposed sale will require a US policy review and protracted negotiations after India formally kicks off the acquisition process. However, it put the spotlight on how the Trump administration’s latest offering will fit with IAF’s ongoing modernisation plans, including the development of the light combat aircraft LCA Mk-2, Indian officials aware of the matter said.
“The proposed acquisition of the F-35 will have a bearing on the country’s indigenisation plans as programmes such as AMCA and LCA MK-2 may have to be curtailed,” said one of the officials, asking not to be named.
The India-US joint statement made a mention of fifth-generation fighters in the context of defence technology cooperation.
“The leaders pledged to accelerate defence technology cooperation across space, air defence, missile, maritime and undersea technologies, with the US announcing a review of its policy on releasing fifth-generation fighters and undersea systems to India,” it said.
The F-35 has three versions --- the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant, the F-35B short take-off and vertical landing variant, and the F-35C carrier variant. The F-35A is a versatile and high-performance fighter that combines stealth to increase survivability in combat, sensor fusion and unprecedented situational awareness.
Asked to comment on the F-35 offer during a press briefing, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said it was only at a proposal stage.
“There is a process by which platforms are acquired. You are well aware of that process. There is, in most cases, a request for proposals that is floated. There are responses to those. They are evaluated. I don’t think with regard to the acquisition of an advanced aviation platform by India, that process has started as yet. This is currently something that’s at the stage of a proposal,” Misri said.
The Arms Export Control Act (AECA) is the cornerstone of US munitions export control law. The Department of State implements this statute by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). The US and India will review their respective arms transfer regulations, including the ITAR, to streamline defence trade and technology exchange, the joint statement said.
However, by offering the F-35, the US has signalled that India’s acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defence missile systems is no longer a stumbling block. India ordered five units of the S-400 missile systems from Russia for ₹39,000 crore in October 2018. Three of those are operational and the remaining two squadrons are expected to be delivered to IAF this year.
If the F-35 offer materialises into a deal, it will be an interim measure to bridge the capability cap with China, said strategic affairs experts Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retd).
“We must ensure that it does not impact the AMCA and the LCA Mk-2 programmes as India needs to develop these technologies indigenously for self-reliance. We must speed up these programmes as the IAF needs advanced fighters in big numbers,” Chopra added.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh recently threw his weight behind the AMCA, saying India has taken a firm resolve to manufacture the fifth-generation fighter aircraft. Last March, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the highly anticipated project for the design and prototype development of the AMCA at a cost of around ₹15,000 crore. The project involves the design and development of five twin-engine AMCA prototypes, with the stealth fighter likely to go into production only after a decade.
IAF’s modernisation map envisages the deployment of around 120 stealth fighters (six squadrons) 2035 onwards, with the advanced planes forming an important element of future air combat.
One of the highlights of the airshow Aero India 2025, which concluded in Bengaluru on Friday, was the presence of the F-35 and Su-57 stealth fighters.
India was earlier planning to co-develop a stealth fighter with Russia, but the proposed fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) project was abandoned after the IAF expressed strong reservations over cost and limited technology transfer.
India is also set to buy more P-8I long-range maritime surveillance aircraft from the US.
“They (the leaders) also expect completion of procurement for six additional P-8I Maritime Patrol aircraft to enhance India’s maritime surveillance reach in the Indian Ocean Region following agreement on sale terms,” the joint statement said. The Indian Navy currently operates a fleet of 12 Boeing-made P-8Is. The aircraft is a military derivative of Boeing’s 737-800 commercial aircraft.
The leaders also announced plans to “pursue this year new procurements and co-production arrangements for Javelin anti-tank guided missiles and Stryker infantry combat vehicles in India, apart from opening the negotiations for a new India-US defence pact.
