Washington Opens for Indian Request for F-35

F-35C - Carrier Variant (CV)

illustration by www.jsf.mil

January 28, 2011 by Tamir Eshel DEFENCE UPDATE

The United States may allow India to purchase its fifth generation F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter. According to Pentagon acquisitions Chief Ashton Carter, “there is nothing on our side, no principle which bars […] Indian participation in the Joint Strike Fighter. The decision to pursue the F-35 is India’s alone”. Offering the F-35 to India is not new – in 2007 Lockheed Martin briefed Indian officials on the F-35, but eventually the move was blocked by Washington.