Indian Air Force Chief Questions US Offer on F-35 Jet in Front of Top American Commander

Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh joked that American officials do not even let Indian personnel go near the F-35 fighter jet, despite talk of selling it to India. He made this remark on Saturday in Jodhpur during a press conference at the end of the multinational air exercise 'Tarang Shakti-2026'. US Pacific Air Forces Commander General Kevin Schneider was sitting right next to him on stage when the comment was made. Air Chief Marshal Singh clarified that the United States has not given any official proposal to sell the fifth-generation stealth aircraft to India so far.

Russian Aircraft and Homegrown Jets

When asked about Russia's fifth-generation Su-57 fighter jet, the Air Force Chief said a proposal has come to their knowledge from the Russian side. However, no final decision has been made yet on whether to test and evaluate the aircraft. He noted that once the government tells them to proceed, the air force will check if the Su-57 fits Indian operational needs. At the same time, India is working on building its own fifth-generation fighter jet as part of long-term plans to boost self-reliance in defense manufacturing.

Context

'Tarang Shakti-2026' brought together air forces from eight countries in Jodhpur to improve teamwork and share professional experience. Military exercises of this scale help different nations understand each other's tactical methods while giving host countries a platform to showcase domestic defense goals alongside foreign military leaders.