Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh said on Saturday that the US had made no official offer to sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to India, while no final decision had been taken on Russia's proposal to supply Su-57 fifth-generation fighters.
Sitting alongside General Kevin B Schneider, commander of the US Air Force's Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), Singh responded to a question about the reported American offer with a humorous remark. "Your people don't even let us go near the aircraft, and you are talking about selling it to us," he said.
The comments came after six American F-35 Lightning II fighter jets participated in the multinational exercise for the first time on Indian soil. The two officers were sharing the stage at the press conference held alongside the concluding events of Exercise Tarang Shakti in Jodhpur.
Singh was reportedly asked how much access Indian personnel had been given to the American fighter during the exercise according to NDTV. Singh said that, "The US did not show us the cockpit, but allowed us to fly in close formation." He also said that this was how countries protect sensitive military technologies.
General Schneider said decisions on sharing F-35 information were not his to make.
"There are programme-level security classification guides that determine what we are able to share, when we share it, as well as how we protect it," he said.
The aircraft's significance extends beyond its ability to evade radar. Its integrated sensors and onboard computing systems are designed to help pilots identify threats, share information and coordinate operations. NDTV describes these features as central to the capabilities of fifth generation fighters.
For India, the discussion comes amid efforts to assess future combat aircraft requirements while developing an indigenous fifth-generation fighter. The availability of an overseas aircraft, the degree of access to its technology and the conditions attached to a potential purchase are distinct considerations.
During the press conference, Singh also discussed the possibility of India acquiring Russia's Su-57, another fifth-generation 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 as cited by the Economic Times.
The discussions surrounding F-35 and Su-57 come as India continues to assess its future combat aircraft requirements and pursue greater 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.
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