India has informed the United States that it is not keen to buy the F-35 stealth fighter jets.
India Drops US F-35 Jet Deal
As Donald Trump announced India will face tariffs of 25 percent on its exports to the United States, India is now unlikely to buy defence equipment from the US, even though New Delhi is not considering any immediate retaliation, Bloomberg quoted officials familiar with the matter as saying. According to the report, India has informed the United States that it is not keen to buy the F-35 stealth fighter jets, which Donald Trump had proposed to sell to India during PM Narendra Modi’s visit to the US in February this year.
Quoting officials, the report claimed that the Narendra Modi government is more interested in a partnership focused on jointly designing and manufacturing defence equipment domestically. India is considering ramping up its natural gas purchases from the US, and increasing imports of communication equipment and gold, the report claimed, adding that boosting these purchases could help narrow India’s trade surplus with the US over the next three to four years.
US Navy’s F-35 Fighter Jet Crashes in California
A US Navy F-35 fighter jet crashed in California on Thursday near Naval Air Station Lemoore, according to a Navy press statement. The pilot ejected safely, and the cause of the crash, which occurred around 6:30 pm, is under investigation, the statement said.
The aircraft was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron VF-125, known as the “Rough Raiders,” the Navy said. VF-125 is a Fleet Replacement Squadron, responsible for training pilots and aircrew.
India On Trump Tariffs
“The Government has taken note of a statement by the US President on bilateral trade. The Government is studying its implications. India and the US have been engaged in negotiations on concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement over the last few months. We remain committed to that objective,” the Ministry of Commerce & Industry said in an official statement.
“The Government attaches the utmost importance to protecting and promoting the welfare of our farmers, entrepreneurs, and MSMEs. The Government will take all steps necessary to secure our national interest, as has been the case with other trade agreements, including the latest Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the UK,” it added.
Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft
Defence Ministry has cleared the execution model to design and produce the stealth fighter jet by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in partnership with the private sector. India has been working on the ambitious AMCA project to develop the medium-weight deep penetration fighter jet with advanced stealth features to bolster its air power capability.
The Cabinet Committee on Security, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had given in-principle approval to the fighter jet programme last year. The initial development cost of the project has been estimated at around 15,000 crore rupees. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been pushing for the AMCA project in view of its long-term requirement. India’s confidence in the development of the AMCA saw a significant jump after the development of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.
