No formal US offer for F-35 jets to India, says IAF chief

Jodhpur, Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on Saturday said the United States had made no official offer to sell F-35 fifth-generation fighter jets to India, while also clarifying that no final decision has been made on the Russian proposal for Su-57 fighter aircraft.

Singh revealed this while addressing a press conference on the sidelines of the concluding ceremony of the multinational air exercise Tarang Shakti-2026 in Jodhpur.

Sitting alongside the commander of the US Air Force's Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), Singh responded to a question about the reported F-35 offer with a humorous remark, saying, "Your people don't even let us go near the aircraft, and you are talking about selling it to us."

The IAF chief also addressed the possibility of India acquiring Russia's fifth-generation Su-57 fighter aircraft. He said that it has come to their notice that Russia has made an offer but clarified that "no decision has been made" regarding whether the aircraft needs to be evaluated or not.

"Once the decision is conveyed to us (by the government), we will evaluate how well it (Su-57) meets our requirements," he said.

The remarks come as India continues to assess its future combat aircraft requirements and pursue the development of its own fifth-generation fighter aircraft under its long-term plans to strengthen self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

Tarang Shakti-2026 brought together the Indian Air Force and participating foreign air forces from eight nations, including India, providing a platform for operational cooperation and the exchange of professional experience.