The United States has floated the sale of F-35 fighter jets to India, although both India and Turkey have acquired the Russian S-400 air defense system, with only Turkey subject to restrictions on purchasing the aircraft.
Newly re-elected President Donald Trump said according to Reuters that the matter is under discussion, but Indian officials clarified that no formal procurement process has started. Lockheed Martin confirmed that any sale would require government-to-government negotiations, with the Pentagon serving as an intermediary.
Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after acquiring the S-400, as the US cited security concerns over exposing the jet’s stealth capabilities. India also purchased the S-400 but has not faced similar restrictions, likely due to Washington’s broader geopolitical strategy.
Since 2008 India has bought more than $20 billion in US military equipment, including a recent order for 31 MQ-9B drones. The US Congressional Research Service estimates India will spend over $200 billion on defense modernization in the next decade.
Russia has also proposed co-producing the Su-57 stealth fighter in India to strengthen its defense partnership with New Delhi. Meanwhile, India continues to expand its multirole fighter fleet, which includes French, Russian and domestically built aircraft.
Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have agreed to trade negotiations aimed at doubling bilateral commerce to $500 billion by 2030. The discussions also cover tariff reductions, increased US exports and defense cooperation under the Quad alliance.
In January 2025 the US approved India’s participation in co-producing Stryker armored vehicles, marking the first foreign production of the platform. The deal is part of broader US-India defense ties under the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies.