IAF chief says US has made no formal offer to sell F-35 jets to India

The United States has made no official offer to sell its F-35 stealth fighter to India, Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said on Saturday, dampening persistent speculation over a possible acquisition of the fifth-generation jet.

Speaking at a press conference in Jodhpur at the conclusion of Exercise Tarang Shakti-2026, Singh addressed rumours about an American pitch with a sharp quip. Seated beside General Kevin Schneider, commander of the US Pacific Air Forces, Singh said: "Your people don’t even let us go near the aircraft, and you are talking about selling it to us."

Six US Air Force F-35A aircraft, supported by more than 200 personnel, had taken part in the multilateral drills at Jodhpur Air Force Station. The deployment marked the first time the American stealth fighter flew in a military exercise on Indian soil, having previously made only static and aerial display appearances at the Aero India air show in Bengaluru.

What happens with Russia's Su-57 offer

While Washington has not put forward an official proposal, Moscow has. Singh confirmed that Russia has formally pitched its own fifth-generation jet, the Su-57, including domestic production with technology transfer at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s facility in Nashik.

However, any technical trial remains on hold. Singh explained that the air force is waiting for political clearance before taking any operational steps. "Once the decision is conveyed to us by the government, we will evaluate how well it meets our requirements," he said.

The growing stealth gap in the neighbourhood

The air chief's comments come against the backdrop of shrinking squadron numbers and growing regional capability concerns. The IAF currently operates roughly 29 fighter squadrons against an authorised strength of 42.5.

Across the border, China already deploys fifth-generation fighters in operational numbers, while Pakistan plans to acquire 40 Chinese-made J-35 stealth aircraft in the coming years. India's own fifth-generation project, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, is not expected to enter frontline service before 2035.

Singh recently cautioned that if the indigenous project runs into delays, the IAF will have to look at foreign options to avoid falling behind regional adversaries.

Combat milestone within the force

The discussions around future hardware follow another operational benchmark within the air force's ranks. Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth recently became the first woman officer in the IAF to qualify as a Fighter Combat Leader.

Kanth, who was commissioned in 2016 as one of India's first three female fighter pilots alongside Avani Chaturvedi and Mohana Singh, completed the intensive 20-week course at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment in Gwalior. The qualification, previously completed exclusively by male officers, trains pilots to plan and command complex air combat packages.

Tarang Shakti-2026 brought together forces from Australia, France, Germany, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, flying alongside Indian Rafales, Sukhoi-30MKIs and indigenous Tejas fighters.