Why is India refusing to buy fighter jets from both Russia and the United States?
India’s decision not to purchase Russia’s Su-57 or the U.S. F-35 is more than a defense procurement choice. It is a strategic decision.
- For Russia, selling the Su-57 to India would help preserve its influence in one of the world’s largest defense markets while keeping New Delhi within Russia’s defense technology ecosystem.
- For the United States, selling the F-35 is about more than economic gains. It would deepen strategic influence by integrating India more closely into the American defense and technology ecosystem for decades to come.
- India, however, is pursuing a different objective. Instead of choosing between Washington and Moscow, New Delhi is investing in its own defense industrial base through the indigenous fifth-generation fighter program, AMCA.
If successful, India will gain far more than a new fighter aircraft. It will acquire the capability to design, develop, and manufacture critical technologies at home, reduce dependence on foreign powers, and strengthen its strategic autonomy.
Weapons are a direct instrument of power. If a nation can produce them itself, that is always the best option. Otherwise, the ability to shape power ultimately rests with the supplier.
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