India has officially declined to purchase F-35 fighter jets from the United States, signaling a clear separation between its defence priorities and ongoing trade frictions with Washington.
This decision follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s unexpected imposition of a 25% tariff on Indian goods, effective August 1. While India is reportedly exploring increased imports of American products—such as natural gas, telecom equipment, and gold—to ease trade tensions, officials have clarified that this move is entirely separate from defence negotiations.
According to Bloomberg, Indian authorities informed the U.S. that they are not interested in acquiring the costly F-35s, which were offered during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the White House earlier this year. Instead, New Delhi is committed to co-developing and manufacturing military equipment domestically, emphasizing its ‘Make in India’ defence strategy.
The tariff move reportedly caught New Delhi off guard and has added strain to already tense bilateral ties. President Trump’s past claims—that his trade pressure defused a brief Indo-Pak conflict—have been denied by Indian officials and are viewed as diplomatically insensitive.
In a recent social media post, Trump dismissed concerns over India’s defence ties with Russia, stating: “We’ve done very little business with India. Their tariffs are among the highest in the world… Let’s keep it that way.” He also took aim at former Russian President Medvedev, calling him irrelevant and warning him to “watch his words.”
Despite trade talks, India’s rejection of the F-35 signals a clear push for defence autonomy and strategic clarity.