NEW DELHI – The Indian government has clarified that there have been no formal discussions with the United States regarding the potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to India. This statement was made by Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh in a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha.
Singh’s response comes after a period of speculation and conflicting reports. In February, U.S. President Donald Trump, during a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had publicly stated that the U.S. was “paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F-35 stealth fighters.” A joint statement issued at the time also mentioned that the U.S. would review its policy on releasing fifth-generation fighters to India.
However, Singh’s response on Friday confirms that no formal proposal has been received and no official discussions have taken place. This aligns with earlier comments made by Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, who in March said that India had not yet looked at the potential sale and that no offer had been made.
The government’s clarification also follows a recent Bloomberg report that suggested India had informed the U.S. that it was “not keen to buy the F-35 stealth fighter jets.” That report, which has not been officially confirmed, came just hours after Trump announced new tariffs on Indian goods, citing trade and defense ties with Russia as a reason.
The F-35, developed by Lockheed Martin, is considered one of the world’s most advanced and versatile fighter jets, with variants for conventional takeoff, short takeoff/vertical landing, and carrier-based operations.