Amid the turmoil over tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump, the Centre on Friday told the Lok Sabha that there were no formal discussions pertaining to purchase of F-35 fighter jet.
In a reply during the ongoing monsoon session, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Lower House that “The India-US Joint Statement following the meeting of Prime Minister with US President Donald Trump on 13th February 2025 mentions that the US will undertake a review of its policy on releasing fifth generation fighters (such as the F-35) and undersea systems to India. No formal discussions have been held as yet on this issue.”
He was replying to the question raised by Congress lawmaker Balwant Baswant Wankhade.
On the bilateral trade relations between New Delhi and Washington, Singh also said, “The India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership is anchored in mutual trust, shared interests, goodwill and robust engagement between our citizens. The partnership has also benefited from growing strategic convergence and cooperation. The Government of India closely evaluates all its external partnerships, including those in the defence and strategic domains, through the prism of India’s national interest and commitment to strategic autonomy.”
The government's response on F-35 combat aircraft comes a day after a Bloomberg report said that India may not but the advanced jet. "India has informed the US that it’s not keen to buy the F-35 stealth fighter jets," the Bloomberg report had said.
India has maintained a 'wait and watch' policy on the issue of tariffs. Shortly after Trump imposed additional levies of 25 percent, New Delhi responded with cautious statement.
“The Government has taken note of the statement by the US President on bilateral trade and is studying its implications. India and the US have been engaged in negotiations over the past few months to conclude a fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement. We remain committed to this objective. The Government attaches the utmost importance to protecting and promoting the welfare of our farmers, entrepreneurs, and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The Government will take all necessary steps to secure our national interests, as it has done with other trade agreements, including the recently concluded Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the UK,” the statement said.
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