IAF chief says US has made no official offer for F-35: 'Your people don’t let us near the aircraft'
Indian Air Force Chief Air Marshal AP Singh clarified that the US has not made an official offer to sell F-35 fighter jets to India. The comments were made during the 'Tarang Shakti' multilateral air exercise, where the IAF chief noted the restricted access to the aircraft.
Why it matters
The statement highlights the current limitations in defense cooperation between India and the US regarding high-end stealth technology.
The United States has made no official offer for F-35 fighter jet, Indian Air Force chief Air Marshal AP Singh said in Delhi on Saturday. He made the remarks on the sidelines of the ‘Tarang Shakti’ multilateral air exercise which was held at the Jodhpur Air Force Station in Rajasthan.Seven foreign nations, including the US, France, Germany and Australia, are participating in the second edition of the exercise hosted by the Indian Air Force. The US' multi-role stealth fighter jet F-35 is taking part in the exercise for the first time.Also read: Riyadh airport attacked again, loud blast heard two days after Houthi strike kills 3; flight ops impacted IAF chief Singh remarked on a lighter note, “I was telling the PACAF commander that your people don't even let us go near the aircraft. And you talk about selling it to us."
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