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“We need to analyse it carefully, what the requirements are and what comes along with it. The cost is also a part of it. It’s not like a washing machine or refrigerator for home that we can buy just by the looks of it. We have not given it a thought. No offer has been made till now,” Singh said.
At an estimated $80 million per unit, the F-35 is one of the most expensive fighter jets in the world. A recent US report also flagged concerns over its performance, adding to the debate over whether India should pursue it.
Trump’s offer is widely seen as part of Washington’s broader push to shift India away from its traditional reliance on Russian defence equipment. But is the F-35 a game-changer or a burden India cannot afford?
Also Read: Donald Trump’s F-35 pitch to India: Will it be a $2 trillion problem in disguise?
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A Strategic Gamble: To Buy or Not to Buy the F-35?
At face value, the F-35 is an impressive machine. A fifth-generation stealth fighter with advanced sensors, AI-driven combat capabilities, and seamless data-sharing, it is arguably the most advanced jet in the world. But integrating it into the IAF would be a logistical and strategic nightmare.Popular in Defence
As told to BBC, Ashley J Tellis, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, believes Trump’s offer is more symbolic than practical. “It is unlikely that the F-35 will be offered for co-production to India—any acquisition will likely be a straightforward sale. This is unlikely, among other things, to sit well with Modi’s emphasis on making in India, and the significant end-user monitoring in the event of an F-35 sale will likely not be welcomed by India either,” Tellis noted.
Operational concerns also loom large. Security expert Stephen Bryen in a BBC report, pointed out that the F-35 has an availability rate of just 51% in the US Air Force. “The question is whether India is willing to invest billions of rupees in the F-35, knowing it could do better buying the Russian jet,” he said.
While some argue that Russia’s Su-57 is a viable alternative, India exited its co-development programme with Moscow in 2018 due to disagreements over technology transfer, cost-sharing, and specifications.
Also Read: US Lockheed Martin's F-35 vs Russia's Su-57: Which stealth jet will rule India’s skies?
The Numbers Problem: An Ageing Fleet and Shrinking Squadrons
India’s fighter fleet is ageing, and replacements are not arriving fast enough. Over the past decade, China has added 435 new fighter and ground-attack aircraft, while India’s fleet has shrunk by 151, according to Christopher Clary, a political scientist at the University of Albany.India has plans to acquire over 500 jets in the coming years, mostly indigenous. The Tejas Mark 1A, an agile homegrown multirole fighter, is already on order, with 83 confirmed and 97 more expected. The more advanced Mark 2 is still under development, while the AMCA remains a decade away.
However, the $20 billion Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme—intended to bring in foreign-built jets under a transfer of technology deal—has been stalled since 2019. Experts see funding shortfalls, bureaucratic delays, and dependence on foreign manufacturers as the three biggest hurdles in India’s fighter jet modernisation.
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Meanwhile, Pakistan Gets a Lifeline for its F-16s from US
In a seemingly contradictory move, the Trump administration has quietly approved $397 million in funding for the maintenance of Pakistan’s F-16 fighter fleet. This decision reverses Trump’s own 2018 stance when he cut all security aid to Pakistan, accusing it of harbouring terrorists.According to reports, the US has imposed restrictions to ensure these jets are used only for counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations. However, this assurance does little to assuage Indian concerns. The memory of the 2019 aerial skirmish, when a Pakistani F-16 was allegedly used against an Indian MiG-21 after the Balakot airstrike, remains fresh. Washington had reprimanded Islamabad back then for potential misuse of the jets. The latest funding move has sparked backlash among Indian defence analysts, who see it as a sign of Washington hedging its bets in South Asia.
Also Read: Trump gives Pakistan's F-16 a nearly $400 million boost; What it means for the debt ridden nation
India’s Air Force Modernisation: The Real Challenges
The IAF’s needs and the government’s long-term vision do not always align. Rahul Bhatia, an analyst at Eurasia Group, pointed out that India’s indigenous fighter programme has been slow, and the Tejas Mark 1 faced early scepticism. “The decades-long development cycles frustrate the armed forces, especially as their requirements keep evolving as newer technologies become available, which in turn contributes to further delays,” Bhatia said.Even Air Marshal AP Singh has expressed frustration. “I can take a vow that I will not buy anything from outside or I will wait for whatever is developed in India, but it may not be possible if it does not come at that pace [on time],” he said at a recent seminar.
The slow delivery of Tejas Mark 1A jets, initially scheduled for February 2024, has only compounded these issues. “At the moment, we all know that we are very badly off when it comes to numbers [of fighters]. And the numbers which were promised are also coming a little slow. So, there will be a requirement to go and look for something which can quickly fill up these voids,” Singh added.
Also Read: F-35 for India? Why Trump’s fifth-generation fighter jet offer requires careful evaluation
Fifth-Generation Fighters: A Race Against Time
The geopolitical landscape is shifting fast. China has begun testing sixth-generation combat aircraft, while the US has reinforced its commitment to Pakistan’s F-16 fleet. India, meanwhile, is still working on its fifth-generation fighter programme—the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)—which is only expected to be ready for service by 2035.“We may have to go in for off-the-shelf purchases with indigenous content until AMCA gets developed. Or develop AMCA at a faster pace,” Singh admitted.
The numbers tell a worrying story. India currently operates 30 fighter squadrons, well below the sanctioned strength of 42. With the slow pace of indigenous fighter development and increasing threats in the region, the IAF faces a difficult decision—stick to its long-term vision or make urgent stopgap purchases.
The Verdict: What Will India Choose?
India has already committed over $1 billion to its indigenous stealth fighter programme. Most experts believe it is unlikely to opt for either the F-35 or the Su-57. Instead, short-term emergency buys may fill immediate gaps, while the long-term focus remains on building a capable homegrown fleet.“For India, the future of airpower isn’t just about buying jets—it’s about building them,” Bhatia noted.
If India can overcome its bureaucratic delays and deliver on its indigenous fighter projects, it may not need the F-35 at all. But if threats escalate faster than expected, the government may have no choice but to look for stopgap solutions.
For now, Trump’s offer remains just that—an offer. And India, ever cautious in its defence acquisitions, is unlikely to make a rushed decision.
