IAF Chief denies US F-35 stealth fighter offer to India

Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh clarified that the United States has made no official offer to sell F-35 fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft to India. His remarks, made during a press conference at the conclusion of the multinational air exercise Tarang Shakti-2026 in Jodhpur, aimed to dismiss recent speculation that Washington had proposed the jets and that New Delhi had subsequently rejected them.

Regarding Russian military technology, Singh stated that the Indian government has yet to decide whether the Indian Air Force should evaluate the Su-57 fighter aircraft. While Moscow has offered to manufacture the fighter in India with technology transfer, the IAF is awaiting a formal government decision before proceeding with any evaluation of how the aircraft meets national requirements.

The F-35 made its first appearance in a military exercise on Indian soil during Tarang Shakti-2026, accompanied by six aircraft and over 200 personnel. Meanwhile, India continues to prioritize the development of indigenous fifth-generation fighter technology to enhance defense self-reliance.