US made no official offer to sell F-35 jets to India, Singh says
GS2Polity · Governance · IR· India's bilateral relations· Prelims·
Defense procurement and technology transfer: a GS2 case study on strategic autonomy and military cooperation.
Why in news
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh stated that the US made no official offer to sell F-35 jets to India during the Tarang Shakti-2026 exercise.
Background
During Tarang Shakti-2026 in Jodhpur, 6 US F-35 Lightning II jets participated but denied Indian officials cockpit access. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh confirmed Russia has offered Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets to India.
Facts for Prelims
- FactF-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation fighter jet.
- FactSu-57 is a fifth-generation fighter jet offered by Russia.
- PlaceTarang Shakti-2026 exercise was held in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
- PostGeneral Kevin Schneider is the Commander of US Pacific Air Forces.
Prelims practice question
Where was the Tarang Shakti-2026 exercise held?
- (a)Mysuru
- (b)Nagpur
- (c)Pune
- (d)Jodhpur
Show answer
Answer: (d) Jodhpur — The note states that the Tarang Shakti-2026 exercise was held in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
For Mains
Q. Discuss the challenges India faces in acquiring advanced fifth-generation fighter technology amidst the complexities of military technology sharing and geopolitical dependencies.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Technology protectionism: US security classification guides restricting cockpit access and technical data sharing.
- Strategic autonomy: Balancing procurement options between Russian Su-57 and US F-35 platforms.
- Defense diplomacy: Impact of multinational exercises like Tarang Shakti on deepening defense ties.
Keywords: Fifth-generation fighter · Defense procurement · Technology transfer · Strategic autonomy · Military cooperation
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