Why did India turn down the US offer for F-35 fighter jets? EXPLAINED

The US is reportedly planning to sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to countries including Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Earlier, Qatar reportedly had exploratory talks with Washington, and Saudi Arabia has pursued the acquisition of up to 48 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters to advance its air force countering regional threats. Turkey was also lobbying hard to get back into the F-35 program.

Previously, the US had removed Turkey from the 2019 program and hit it with CAATSA sanctions after purchasing the Russian S-400 missile defence system. Later, after a renewed diplomatic push and potential shifts in US policy, the gate of discussions for Turkey on the F-35.

Meanwhile, India had also previously been offered the aircraft; reports indicate that New Delhi opted against pursuing the acquisition to prioritise its domestic defence goals and indigenous fighter projects. In February 2025, during Indian PM Modi’s visit to the US, Trump announced that this year, the US will increase military sales to India by many billions of dollars.

During the announcement, the sale of F-35 stealth fighters was also part of the list. However, analysts suggest these remarks were intended not only to appease India, but even more so to cater to the US defence lobby. The U.S. Congressional Research Service confirmed that New Delhi is expected to spend over $200 billion over the next decade to modernise its military.

Why did India decide not to move forward with F-35 jets?

According to media reports, the Indian government had earlier claimed that it was not intending to purchase the aircraft. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri also clarified that the US proposal was only at a 'proposal stage', but the acquisition process had not begun.

In response to the purchase of the aircraft, India's opposition parties have also criticised President Donald Trump's offer to sell F-35 fighters, citing their high costs. Because Russia has discussed producing its most advanced jets locally in line with PM Modi's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' vision.

The development witnessed after India signed a deal worth 623.70 billion rupees ($7.03 billion) in September 2025 to buy indigenous fighter aircraft from state warplane maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in an effort to modernise its armed forces. This move supports the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' vision by strengthening the domestic aerospace industry of India instead of relying solely on imported fighter platforms.

Other reports also highlight that acquiring the aircraft comes with strict American controls over software source code and data-sharing systems, restricting New Delhi's operational sovereignty. Furthermore, defence analysts cited that committing tens of billions of dollars to the F-35’s steep acquisition and maintenance expenses would conflict directly with India's push for defence self-reliance.

Additionally, procuring foreign 5th-generation platforms would divert critical budget and resources away from India’s own indigenous fighter initiatives, specifically the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and Tejas Mk II programs.