'No formal process started yet', says foreign secretary on India's plans to buy F-35 jets from US

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Donald Trump at White House

Foreign secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday clarified that the proposal to acquire F-35 fighter jets from the US is in the stage of proposal as of now and no formal process has started yet.

"There is a process by which platforms are acquired. There is in most cases a request for proposals that floated. There are responses to those, which are evaluated. I don't think with regards to the acquisition of advanced aviation platforms by India has started," Misri said during an interaction with media following US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting at the White House.

"So, this is a currently something at the stage of proposal. Don't think the formal process has started," he added.

Trump during his meeting with Modi said the US will increase military sales to India starting in 2025 and will eventually provide F-35 fighter jets.

"We'll be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars. We're also paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F-35 stealth fighters," Trump told reporters.

Trump did not provide a timeline, but foreign military sales, especially for cutting-edge technology like the stealthy F-35 jet, typically take years to work through.

Addressing a joint news conference after a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump also said the countries had struck an agreement that includes India importing more US oil and gas to shrink the trade deficit between the two countries.

Misri clarified that India already buys $15 billion worth of US energy output and there is a good chance it go further up in the near future.

"There is a good chance it could go up to $25 billion in near future. So, we are a big consumer and today's meeting discussed more possible purchases which could also impact the trade deficit (between the two countries)," he said.

PM Modi, during his press briefing, said both the countries aim to double their bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. US is India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade between the countries standing at $129.2 billion in 2024.