Govt committed to indigenous aircraft despite US’ F-35 offer

Despite US President Donald Trump’s offer to review policies on selling fifth-generation fighter jets and undersea systems to India, New Delhi remains steadfast in its pursuit of an indigenous solution — the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

During a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump indicated that the US would reconsider restrictions on the export of advanced defence technologies, including the Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter. However, sources in the Indian defence establishment affirm that India has no plans to abandon its AMCA project.

The AMCA is scheduled for its first flight in 2027-28. The F-35, a cutting-edge multirole stealth fighter, is subject to strict US export controls under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Countries seeking to acquire the aircraft must meet stringent requirements and secure US government approval.

Past cases highlight potential obstacles for India. The US expelled Turkey from the F-35 programme after it acquired Russia’s S-400 air defence system, citing security concerns. India also operates the S-400, raising questions about how Washington would navigate this issue.

When asked about the F-35 at a media briefing in Washington, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri clarified that India has not initiated the formal procurement process. “There is a process by which platforms are acquired — a Request for Proposal (RFP) is floated. We have not started that (RFP) process to get an advanced aviation platform,” he stated.