India has received no official offer from the United States to purchase F-35 fifth-generation fighter jets, Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said on Saturday (Oct 10). He also said that the government has yet to decide whether to evaluate Russia’s Su-57 fighter aircraft. Singh made the remarks at a press conference in Jodhpur on the sidelines of the concluding ceremony of the multinational air exercise Tarang Shakti-2026.Sitting alongside the commander of the US Air Force’s Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), the IAF chief responded with a quip when asked about reports of a possible F-35 sale to India.“We didn’t get any official offer,” Singh said. “Your people don’t even let us go near the aircraft, and you are talking about selling it to us.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;Your people don't even let us go near the aircraft, and you talk about selling it to us&quot;

IAF chief ACM AP Singh says the US made no offer to sell F-35 jets to India, with the US Pacific Air Forces commander by his side, during #TarangShaktiExercise in Rajasthan https://t.co/b7iKAtQb1h&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://x.com/WIONews/status/2108957549227852019?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>No decision yet on Russia’s Su-57</h2>On the Russian fifth-generation fighter, Singh said the offer had come to the IAF’s attention but that no decision had been taken on whether to assess the aircraft.“Regarding the Su-57, we have been informed that they [Russians] have made an offer to us,” he said.“Once the decision is conveyed to us (by the government), we will evaluate how well it (Su-57) meets our requirements,” he added.His remarks leave open the question of whether India will consider either foreign fighter for its future combat fleet. The country is also pursuing the development of its own fifth-generation fighter aircraft as part of efforts to strengthen self-reliance in defence manufacturing.<h2>Tarang Shakti concludes in Jodhpur</h2>The comments came as Tarang Shakti-2026 wrapped up, bringing together the IAF and air forces from eight participating nations, including India.The multinational exercise provided an opportunity for participating forces to improve operational cooperation and exchange professional experience, as India weighs its future combat aircraft requirements.

IAF Chief AP Singh said India has received no official US offer for F-35 jets, while the government is yet to decide on evaluating Russia’s Su-57 fighter aircraft.

India has received no official offer from the United States to purchase F-35 fifth-generation fighter jets, Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said on Saturday (Oct 10). He also said that the government has yet to decide whether to evaluate Russia’s Su-57 fighter aircraft. Singh made the remarks at a press conference in Jodhpur on the sidelines of the concluding ceremony of the multinational air exercise Tarang Shakti-2026. Sitting alongside the commander of the US Air Force’s Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), the IAF chief responded with a quip when asked about reports of a possible F-35 sale to India. “We didn’t get any official offer,” Singh said. “Your people don’t even let us go near the aircraft, and you are talking about selling it to us.”

IAF Chief AP Singh said India has received no official US offer for F-35 jets, while the government is yet to decide on evaluating Russia’s Su-57 fighter aircraft.

‘Your people don’t even let us near it’: IAF chief’s blunt response on US F-35; India yet to decide on Russia’s Su-57

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday (October 29, 2025) undertook a sortie in a Rafale fighter jet from the Air Force Station in the Ambala district of Haryana. Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh also joined her, fleeing in a separate aircraft from the same airbase. She also wore a G-suit before boarding the Rafale jet.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | President Droupadi Murmu takes a sortie in a Rafale aircraft in Ambala, Haryana Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh is also flying in another aircraft Group Captain Amit Gehani is the pilot of the aircraft carrying the President. He is also the Commanding… <a href="https://t.co/f3WRhGF0Nx">pic.twitter.com/f3WRhGF0Nx</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1983421520719290848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Before the aircraft took off at 11:27 a.m., Murmu held a helmet in her hand, wore sunglasses, and posed for pictures with the pilot. She also waved from inside the jet. Meanwhile, the President was also awarded a ceremonial guard of honour after she arrived at the Air Force Station this morning, according to a report by news agency PTI.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;The sortie on Rafale is an unforgettable experience for me. This first flight on the potent Rafale aircraft has instilled in me a renewed sense of pride in the nation&#39;s defence capabilities. I congratulate the Indian Air Force and the entire team of Air Force Station, Ambala for… <a href="https://t.co/Ud3LX8uqBU">pic.twitter.com/Ud3LX8uqBU</a>&mdash; President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) <a href="https://twitter.com/rashtrapatibhvn/status/1983439585024622900?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In addition, Droupadi Murmu has become the third President and second woman head of state to take a sortie in a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Tezpur Air Force Station of Assam on April 8, 2023.&nbsp;Former president Pratibha Patil and APJ Abdul Kalam also undertook sorties in Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Air Force station in Lohegaon, near Pune, Maharashtra, in June 2006 and November 2009, respectively.<h3>What do we know about Rafale jets?</h3>Manufactured by the France-based aerospace firm Dassault Aviation, Rafale fighter jets were formally inducted into the Indian Air Force in September 2020 at the Ambala Air Force station.&nbsp;The first batch of five Rafale fighter jets arrived in India from France on July 27, 2020, and was inducted into the Indian Air Force’s 17 Squadron, known as the Golden Arrows. The Rafale marked the IAF’s first imported fighter aircraft in 22 years, following the induction of Russia’s Sukhoi-30 jets in June 1997.&nbsp;It is a 4.5-generation, twin-engine, multi-role fighter jet, which was designed to perform a wide variety of combat missions, including air supremacy, ground attack, reconnaissance, and nuclear deterrence.

Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh also joined her, fleeing in a separate aircraft from the same airbase. Meanwhile, the President was also awarded a ceremonial guard of honour after she arrived at the Air Force Station this morning.

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday (October 29, 2025) undertook a sortie in a Rafale fighter jet from the Air Force Station in the Ambala district of Haryana. Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh also joined her, fleeing in a separate aircraft from the same airbase. She also wore a G-suit before boarding the Rafale jet.

Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh also joined her, fleeing in a separate aircraft from the same airbase. Meanwhile, the President was also awarded a ceremonial guard of honour after she arrived at the Air Force Station this morning.

WATCH: President Droupadi Murmu undertakes Rafale Jet sortie from Ambala's Air Force station

AP Singh, the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief, said on Tuesday that the nation's defence system, dubbed Sudarshan Chakra, will be both a spear and sheild. Addressing the press at the Air Headquarters in New Delhi, he highlighted the integration of advanced air defence capabilities into India's evolving security framework.&nbsp;"The Sudarshan Chakra is not merely a defensive barrier; it represents a dynamic, integrated ecosystem that will seamlessly fuse our existing assets like the S-400 systems with next-generation indigenous interceptors under Project Kusha," said Air Chief Marshal Singh.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/hindu-mythology-and-cosmology-in-indian-weapons-army-navy-air-force-assets-from-agni-missile-to-sudarshan-chakra-defence-system-what-it-means-1755941083305">From Agni to Sudarshan Chakra: Hindu mythology and Indian cosmology in names of missiles, defence systems and assets of navy, army, air force</a><h2>What is Sudarshan Chakra?</h2>Mission Sudarshan Chakra is India's ambitious indigenous multi-layered air and missile defence shield announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in during his Independence Day adress on August 15.&nbsp;IAF chief Singh said the defence system would enhance the IAF's operational readiness.&nbsp;He noted that during Operation Sindoor (India's response to Pakistan-based terrorists behind the Pehalgam attack) earlier this year, India's air defences, including the S-400, successfully neutralised over five Pakistani fighter aircraft and a high-value special mission platform at extended ranges up to 300 km.He mentioned that S-400 is affectionately called Sudarshan Chakra within the IAF.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/war-at-the-speed-of-light-why-india-must-build-the-sudarshan-chakra-now-1756569412399">War at the speed of light: Why India must build the Sudarshan Chakra NOW</a><h2>Sudarshan Chakra, the shield and spear</h2>Highlighting the defence system's dual defensive-offensive nature, Singh said that IAF is committed to achieving full operational deployment of Sudarshan Chakra Phase-1 by 2028-29. "As we accelerate Mission Sudarshan Chakra, it will evolve into a 'shield and spear' capability," Singh said.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/indo-pak-war-what-is-s-400-sudarshan-chakra-decoding-its-strategic-significance-wion-explained-9050244/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/indo-pak-war-what-is-s-400-sudarshan-chakra-decoding-its-strategic-significance-wion-explained-9050244/embed</a>This would ensure that any aerial incursion is met with precision interception and immediate counter-offensive strikes, safeguarding our skies for decades to come, he added.The mission is expected to be rolled out in two phases through 2035.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/towards-mission-sudarshan-chakra-why-india-s-successful-test-of-integrated-air-defence-weapon-system-matters-1756117089189">Towards Mission Sudarshan Chakra: Why India’s successful test of Integrated Air Defence Weapon System matters</a><h2>Sudarshan Chakra: Indigenous defence inspired by Indian mythology</h2>The term "Sudarshan Chakra" refers to the divine discus weapon of Lord Vishnu in Hindu mythology. In epics like the Mahabharata, it symbolises an unstoppable, precision-guided tool of protection and retribution. The Sudarshan Chakra can orbit endlessly, targeting enemies with accuracy, and returning to the finger of Lord Vishnu after the mission.

India's Sudarshan Chakra is an indigenous multi-layered air and missile defence system, combining advanced tech for shield and spear capabilities, inspired by Hindu mythology. As per Indian Air Force chief, its first phase will be operational by 2028-29.



AP Singh, the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief, said on Tuesday that the nation's defence system, dubbed Sudarshan Chakra, will be both a spear and sheild. Addressing the press at the Air Headquarters in New Delhi, he highlighted the integration of advanced air defence capabilities into India's evolving security framework. "The Sudarshan Chakra is not merely a defensive barrier; it represents a dynamic, integrated ecosystem that will seamlessly fuse our existing assets like the S-400 systems with next-generation indigenous interceptors under Project Kusha," said Air Chief Marshal Singh. Also read: From Agni to Sudarshan Chakra: Hindu mythology and Indian cosmology in names of missiles, defence systems and assets of navy, army, air force What is Sudarshan Chakra? Mission Sudarshan Chakra is India's ambitious indigenous multi-layered air and missile defence shield announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in during his Independence Day adress on August 15. IAF chief Singh said the defence system would enhance the IAF's operational readiness. He noted that during Operation Sindoor (India's response to Pakistan-based terrorists behind the Pehalgam attack) earlier this year, India's air defences, including the S-400, successfully neutralised over five Pakistani fighter aircraft and a high-value special mission platform at extended ranges up to 300 km. He mentioned that S-400 is affectionately called Sudarshan Chakra within the IAF. Also read: War at the speed of light: Why India must build the Sudarshan Chakra NOW Sudarshan Chakra, the shield and spear Highlighting the defence system's dual defensive-offensive nature, Singh said that IAF is committed to achieving full operational deployment of Sudarshan Chakra Phase-1 by 2028-29. "As we accelerate Mission Sudarshan Chakra, it will evolve into a 'shield and spear' capability," Singh said. https://www.wionews.com/videos/indo-pak-war-what-is-s-400-sudarshan-chakra-decoding-its-strategic-significance-wion-explained-9050244/embed This would ensure that any aerial incursion is met with precision interception and immediate counter-offensive strikes, safeguarding our skies for decades to come, he added. The mission is expected to be rolled out in two phases through 2035. Also read: Towards Mission Sudarshan Chakra: Why India’s successful test of Integrated Air Defence Weapon System matters Sudarshan Chakra: Indigenous defence inspired by Indian mythology The term "Sudarshan Chakra" refers to the divine discus weapon of Lord Vishnu in Hindu mythology. In epics like the Mahabharata, it symbolises an unstoppable, precision-guided tool of protection and retribution. The Sudarshan Chakra can orbit endlessly, targeting enemies with accuracy, and returning to the finger of Lord Vishnu after the mission.

India's Sudarshan Chakra is an indigenous multi-layered air and missile defence system, combining advanced tech for shield and spear capabilities, inspired by Hindu mythology. As per Indian Air Force chief, its first phase will be operational by 2028-29.&nbsp;

Sudarshan Chakra will be 'shield and spear': Air Chief Marshal AP Singh reveals timeline of India's own 'Iron Dome' defence system deployment

Vinay Sharma, one of the death-row convicts in the 2012 Delhi gang-rape case, has approached Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal through his lawyer AP Singh, seeking to commute the death sentence to life imprisonment.

Advocate Singh has filed a petition under Sections 432 and 433 of CrPC seeking to suspend death sentence.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-court-reserves-order-on-nirbhaya-convicts-plea-seeking-stay-on-execution-283791">Delhi court reserves order on Nirbhaya convict's plea seeking stay on execution</a>

Vinay Sharma through his advocate prayed that the convict does not deserve the extreme punishment of death, which is reserved for the `'rarest of rare' cases where the alternative option of life imprisonment is unquestionably foreclosed.

Considering the positive steps towards reformation, his young age, poor socio-economic circumstances, the petitioner has prayed to commute his death sentence to life imprisonment.

Also see: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/women-in-pakistan-protest-against-violence-rape-honour-killings-285109">Women in Pakistan protest against violence, rape, honour killings</a>

The case pertains to the brutal gang-rape and killing of a 23-year-old paramedical student in a moving bus on the night of December 16, 2012, by six people including a juvenile in the national capital.

The woman had died at a Singapore hospital a few days later.

Vinay Sharma, one of the death-row convicts in the 2012 Delhi gang-rape case, has approached Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal through his lawyer AP Singh, seeking to commute the death sentence to life imprisonment.

Vinay Sharma, one of the death-row convicts in the 2012 Delhi gang-rape case, has approached Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal through his lawyer AP Singh, seeking to commute the death sentence to life imprisonment. Advocate Singh has filed a petition under Sections 432 and 433 of CrPC seeking to suspend death sentence. Also read: Delhi court reserves order on Nirbhaya convict's plea seeking stay on execution Vinay Sharma through his advocate prayed that the convict does not deserve the extreme punishment of death, which is reserved for the `'rarest of rare' cases where the alternative option of life imprisonment is unquestionably foreclosed. Considering the positive steps towards reformation, his young age, poor socio-economic circumstances, the petitioner has prayed to commute his death sentence to life imprisonment. Also see: Women in Pakistan protest against violence, rape, honour killings The case pertains to the brutal gang-rape and killing of a 23-year-old paramedical student in a moving bus on the night of December 16, 2012, by six people including a juvenile in the national capital. The woman had died at a Singapore hospital a few days later.

Nirbhaya convict approaches L-G, seeks to commute death sentence to life imprisonment

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‘Your people don’t even let us near it’: IAF chief’s blunt response on US F-35; India yet to decide on Russia’s Su-57

WATCH: President Murmu undertakes Rafale sortie from Ambala's Air Force station

Sudarshan Chakra will be India's 'shield and spear': Air Chief Marshal AP Singh

Nirbhaya convict approaches L-G, seeks to commute death sentence to life imprisonment