AFPIndia faces a decisive choice for modernizing its air force – but is the American American fighter's answer?
During his visit to Washington last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with US President Donald Trump, who announced they were they were “Make the Way” For India to acquire the F-35, the aircraft is sold mainly to close allies and partners.
Thehe F-35 is a very role-player with a fifth generation with sophisticated sensors, AI-moving combat systems and trouble-free data sharing capabilities. Built to avoid the radar, this is the most sophisticated plane in the sky -but at $ 80mA pop, also one of the most expensive. (Stealth is a key feature of Fifth Generation fighter.)
Many believe that with their fighter jets, which also reduce Chinese military cultivation, India faces the choice of high bets: blurring the most modern but expensive F-35 from the United States or strengthening defense connections with Russia through the local production of its most advanced fighter Jet Sukhoi SU-57.
Experts believe that reality is more nuclear, such as American Russia “Dogfight” largely media over-fed by the appearance of the two Jets on the largest air show in Asia, Aero India, in the southern city of Bangalore last month.
AFPTrump's F-35 proposal seems more “symbolic” than practical, led by his impetus to sell us a weapon, according to Ashley Ji Telis, a senior associate at Carnegie Fund for International Peace.
The integration of the Fifth Generation aircraft into the Plans of the Air Force of India (IAF) – focused on the home modern middle combat aircraft (AMCA) and more Rafales – would be a challenge, especially without co -production rights. Developed by the organization for the research and development of the Defense and Development of India (DRDO), the AMCA is the own fighter of India.
“It is unlikely that the F-35 will be offered for joint production of India-in any acquisition will probably be a direct sale. This is unlikely, among other things, to sit well with the focus of Modi on the performance in India and the significant monitoring of the end user in the case of sale of the F-35 will probably not be welcomed by India.”
India's challenges with F -35 are its steep costs, serious problems and operating problems – the presence of JET is about 51% for the US Air For Weapons and strategyS “The question is whether India is ready to invest billions of rupees in the F-35, knowing that it can do better with the purchase of the Russian aircraft.”
AFPBut many reject the SU-57 as a true contender, noting that India has been out of decades of joint production of the aircraft with Russia in 2018 on disputes over technology transfer, cost sharing and specifications.
To be sure, the Air Force of India is aged and are for fighter jets.
He operates 31 fighter jets and combat squadrons-pre-Russian and Soviet aircraft-far below the sanctioned 42. A key challenge is to find a long-term replacement of the Sukhoi-30, the IAF multilateral work horse from Russia.
Christopher Clary, a political scientist at the University of Obani, recently pointed out disturbing data from the ISA's military balance for India: between 2014 and 2024 China added 435 fighter jets and ground attacks, Pakistan won 31 while India's fleet shrunk to 151.
The planned fighter jets in India is largely home, with plans to acquire over 500 aircraftMostly light combat aircraft.
Orders for 83 Tejas Mark 1a – Agile Multirole Homegrown Fighter – are confirmed, with 97 more will be ordered soon. Meanwhile, the larger, more advanced Mark 2 is in development. The home stealth jet remains for at least a decade.
India also has plans to buy 114 fighter jets with the MRFA Many Role Fighter (MRFA) program of $ 20 billion requiring foreign jets to be built in India when transferring a technological transaction – its largest obstacle.
AFPSuspended since 2019, the Indian government is considering a transparent and incompatible process of public procurement after colliding with criticism of the acquisition of 36 Rafales in a government government deal. Five aircraft are in dispute, with Rafale leading as it is already in operation with IAF.
Experts say that the modernization of the Air Force of India faces three key obstacles: financing, delay and dependence on foreign jets.
Defense costs have realS The foreign fighter program risks a drawn fate. While India prioritizes home -made, DrDO delays for Fore Spotgap foreign purchases, creating a repetitive cycle. Its breakdown requires a joint work at home on time. Deliveries are also delayed due to retention in General Electric's F-404 engines for Jets.
The main challenge is the discrepancy between the vision of the Ministry of Defense and the needs of IAF, says Rahul Bhatiya, an analyst at Eurasia Group, a consulting firm for geopolitical risk.
Tejas Mark 1 is confronted with early skepticism from the Air Force, leading to improvements such as Mark 1a and Mark 2.
Even the Air Air Force of India Ap Singh has It is no secret of its dissatisfaction over delays.
“I can seek a vow that I will not buy anything outside or wait for anything developed in India, but it may not be possible if it does not come with that pace (on time),” said Air Marshall Singh recently.
AFP“At the moment, we all know that we are very bad when it comes to numbers (of fighters). And the numbers that have been promised also come a little slow. So, there will be a requirement to go and look for something that can quickly fill those gaps,” he said, not to start the delayed supplies.
India's clear priority is a home -made fighter, with more than $ 1 billion already engaged in its development. “The foreign stealth aircraft will only be considered if the immediate perception of the threat in India has shifted,” says G -n Bhatia. China has two so-called stealth fighters-J-20 and J-35, they probably do not reach American standards.
Most experts believe that India will choose neither US nor Russian fighters. “In the short term, as seen in past conflicts, emergency purchases can fill the gaps. The medium-term focus is a joint production, but the long game is clear-building its own,” says Mr Bhatia.
For India, the future of AirPower is not just about buying jets – it is about building them, ideally with a strong Western partner. But in order to succeed this vision, India must deliver its fighters at home on time.