India Drops Interest in Buying F-35 Fighter Jets After Trump’s Tariff Threat

New Delhi:In a significant shift in defense procurement strategy, India has decided to **refrain from purchasing the fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter jets** from the United States following President **Donald Trump’s threat of imposing a 25% tariff on Indian imports**.

According to a Bloomberg report, the Indian government has informed the U.S. that it no longer intends to buy the F-35 jets, which had been offered by President Trump during Indian Prime Minister **Narendra Modi’s visit to the White House earlier this year**. At that time, Modi had expressed interest in considering the offer.

The report further revealed that while India is considering increasing the purchase of non-defense goods from the U.S. to improve trade relations, **defense equipment, including the F-35 jets**, will not be a part of those purchases. The move comes in response to the **escalating trade tensions** with the U.S.

India, however, is not in a position to take immediate retaliatory action against Trump’s tariff announcement, and it seeks to maintain positive trade relations with the U.S., continuing bilateral talks in the hope of resolving the trade dispute amicably.