Trump pledges F-35 fighter jets amid strengthening US-India trade ties

During the official visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington, D.C., from February 12–13, 2025, US President Donald Trump pledged to provide India with Lockheed Martin F-35 fifth-generation fighter jets.  

The announcement is part of a broader initiative to strengthen economic ties between the two nations, with a long-term goal of increasing total bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. 

“We’ll be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars,” Trump told reporters. “We’re also paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F-35 stealth fighters.”  

In a joint statement, the United States confirmed that it is reviewing its policy regarding the sale of fifth-generation fighter jets to India. 

India’s defense modernization and shifting procurement strategy 

Since the early 2000s, India has been striving to enhance its domestic defense industry, a goal recently reinforced by Prime Minister Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) initiative.  

This has led to indigenous advancements such as the development of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and the commissioning of the INS Vikrant aircraft carrier. However, India’s domestic defense production still struggles to meet operational requirements, necessitating continued imports. 

Over recent years, India has also been gradually reducing its reliance on Russia, its traditional arms supplier, in favor of Western defense manufacturers. The Indian military has launched multiple initiatives to modernize its air force and naval aviation capabilities. 

The Indian Navy is in the final stages of negotiations for 26 Rafale M naval fighters to replace its aging Mikoyan MiG-29K jets, with the contract still expected to be signed in early 2025. 

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The Indian Air Force (IAF) has long sought to replace its aging fighter fleet. The Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) tender, launched in 2009, originally aimed to procure 126 new fighters. Dassault’s Rafale was selected in 2012 over competing US and European jets, but prolonged negotiations over an industrial partnership led to the cancellation of the deal in 2015. 

A new contract was finalized on September 23, 2016, between French President François Hollande and Prime Minister Modi for 36 Rafale fighter jets valued at approximately €8 billion, the last of which was delivered in December 2022. 

The F-35’s entry into India’s fighter jet competition 

India revived its fighter jet acquisition plans in 2018 with the launch of the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program, which seeks to procure 114 advanced combat aircraft for the IAF. The F-35 now enters a competitive field that includes: 

Boeing F-15EX 
Dassault Rafale 
Eurofighter Typhoon 
Lockheed Martin F-21 [a customized F-16V variant for the IAF – ed. note] 
Saab Gripen E/F 
Russia’s counteroffer 

Days before Trump’s offer, Russia proposed an alternative in an attempt to retain its position within India’s defense market. On February 11, 2025, Moscow offered to manufacture its fifth-generation stealth fighter, the Sukhoi Su-57, in India using the existing Sukhoi Su-30MKI assembly line operated by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Nashik. However, it remains unclear whether India will consider the Su-57 as a viable alternative to the MRFA tender. 

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