India needs to weigh pros and cons of F-35 pitch

7 comments

1. SS: India will have to very carefully evaluate US President Donald Trump’s offer of the fifth-generation F-35 fighter, even though the IAF would love to grab it with both hands given the China factor, while the two countries take forward the procurement of six more P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft as well as joint production of Stryker armoured infantry combat vehicles and Javelin anti-tank guided missiles this year.

   It might just be “a proposal” at this stage with the long-drawn formal process yet to even begin, as foreign secretary Vikram Misri said, but India will have to increasingly contend with a pushy Trump, whose deal-oriented transactional approach to geopolitics is well-known.“Starting this year, we will be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars. We are also paving the way to ultimately provide F-35 stealth fighters,” said Trump. The joint statement also noted the US’s “review of its policy on releasing fifth-generation fighters and undersea systems” to India.The pros and cons will have to be weighed. “India will inexorably be drawn into the US’s sphere of influence with the F-35 acquisition, impinging on its strategic autonomy. Why do you think successive Indian govts over the years have acquired Russian, French and other fighters but never American ones?” a senior official said.

2. Tbh further development of their domestically produced 4th gen fighter would be better. F-35 has alot of bagage and conditions that dont align with indias geopolitical goals

3. If the Americans allow enough freedom to integrate Indian networking and maybe even weapons, it makes sense as a way to buttress the falling numbers with potent aircrafts today. But if these planes cannot be integrated into the Indian network, then it makes little sense. AMCA has a lot going into it and seems not too far away. Even as a less potent craft, Indian systems will make it far more useful than a standalone squadron or two of f35s.

4. India should buy rafale fighters with tot and local production lines.
   India should not buy su 57 as russia now sources its parts from China , we can’t accept that.
   As for US , which has a bipolar nature depending on the administration, we cannot trust them , when they can’t even provide GE engines on time , how do you expect them to export us aircrafts so easily.

   We should try to speed up AMCA and Tejas with national level emergency Urgerncy so we can navigate the problems our self.

   Jay hind..!!

5. Based on recent sctions India would be better off joining one of the groups developing a new fighter than purchasing the F-35. If presidential whims by executive order can sway so far that it even negatively impacts long trusted allies then no treaty or cooperation aggreement is truly safe anymore. That is what he has done.

6. Con is that Trump will start using it as leverage and make demands.

   India has the size and capacity to develop their own or join a smaller program like Gripen that includes technology sharing and local production for full control like Brazil did. Or Rafael as France is a consistently pragmatic world power.

7. Reading the news related to F-35 sale to India, I see so many angry europeans. Then I see these same europeans lining up to sell their eurofighters/Rafales/Gripens to India. The hypocrisy is astounding.

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