US President Donald Trump said on Thursday (local time) that the US will sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to India, which will join the elite country’s clubs on cutting-edge stealth planes.
“From this year, we will increase military sales to India by hundreds of millions of dollars, and we are also opening ways to ultimately offer F-35 stealth fighters to India,” Donald Trump said in Narendra Modi He spoke at the White House with the Prime Minister at a joint press conference. Follow Narendra Modi US Visit the live update
Such a move is a long way to go, and could face serious obstacles given India already having deep defensive ties with Russia, and the US would become a country where the enemy might steal its technology. They hate selling F-35s, news agency Bloomberg reported.
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He added that India’s decision in 2018 to purchase Russia’s S400 missile defense system will complicate sales. The US had previously scrapped the F-35 co-production with Turkey after Russia decided to buy the S400 for fear of learning too much about plane technology.
“At our meeting today, the Prime Minister and I reaffirmed the strong cooperation between the US, India, Australia and Japan. And it is truly important to maintain the tranquility of peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. ” said Donald Trump.
The US President did not provide a timeline, but particularly cutting-edge technology such as the stealth F-35 jets offered foreign military sales.
Attending a joint press conference after meeting with Modi, Trump said the countries have hit an agreement that involves importing more US oil and gas to reduce the trade deficit between the two countries. .
Trump also said Washington and New Delhi will work together to tackle what is called the “threat of radical Islamic terrorism.”
Lockheed Martin, who makes F-35 jets, did not immediately comment on Trump’s ambitions to sell the jets to India.
Foreign military sales such as the F-35 are considered government-to-government transactions in which the Department of Defense serves as an intermediary between a defense contractor and a foreign government.
Since 2008, India has agreed to purchase more than $20 billion in US defense products since 2008. Last year, India agreed to buy the 31 MQ-9B Seaguardian and Skyguardian Loan after more than six years of deliberation.
Reuters reported that India is expected to spend more than $200 billion over the next decade to modernize its military, citing the US Congress research services.
Lockheed is producing three new fighter jets for the US military and allies, including the UK, Australia, Italy, Turkey, Norway, the Netherlands, Israel, Japan, South Korea and Belgium.
Trump’s announcement also suggests ongoing confidence in the most expensive American weapons system manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corporation.
Last year, the US approved the sale of attack drones, Hellfire missiles, laser-guided bomb attack drones, Hellfire missiles and laser-guided bombs as the Joe Biden administration seeks to cut long-standing defence ties with Russia.
It was SpaceX and Tesla Tycoon Elon Musk that attended the meeting with Trump and Modi.
Musk also held a one-on-one meeting with Modi earlier on Thursday, questioning whether the world’s wealthiest man met the Indian Prime Minister in civil servants or business abilities.
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