Amid the Ukraine-Russia war, India facing clashes with China at LAC, and tensions with Pakistan, the US seems to be growing ties with India as it lands with the biggest delegation and newest fifth-generation F-35 fighters at the Aero India 2023 show in Bengaluru.
Importantly, Russia is the biggest defence supplier for India but has not been able to spread its wings globally, SIPRI latest report reveals.
According to its, “Russia was the largest supplier of major arms to India in both 2012–16 and 2017–21, but India’s imports of Russian arms dropped by 47% between the two periods… This, combined with India’s increased efforts to diversify its arms supplier base, meant that Russia’s share of total Indian arms imports fell from 69% to 46%,” the report says.
Russia’s arms exports fell by 26% between 2012–16 and 2017–21, and its share of global arms exports decreased from 24% to 19%, SIPRI report says. The US’ arms exports, however, grew by 14% between the same periods, thus, increasing its global share from 32% to 39%, the report added.
Meanwhile, the two F-35A aircraft, which made a debut at Aero India are United States Air Force (USAF)’s newest fifth-generation, stealthy, supersonic, multirole F-35A Lightning II and F-35A Joint Strike Fighter.
Major General Julian C. Cheater, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs, said, “The F-35 represents the leading-edge of US fighter technology. Aero India is an ideal forum to showcase the most advanced, capable, lethal, and interoperable weapons systems the US has to offer. This system and others are designed to penetrate and defeat advanced adversary air defences.”
Earlier, Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador Elizabeth Jones has said that “it will be an honour to lead the largest-ever US delegation to Aero India to showcase the world-class equipment, training, capability and interoperability the US industry and military offer. As India modernises its defense capabilities, certainly we want to be the partner of choice.”
After a journey from Hill Air Force Base in Utah, United States, the F-35A Lightning II demonstration team impressed the crowds with a demo of its unique aerial capabilities while the F-35A Lightning II from Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska was on static display.
The F-35’s engine produces 43,000 pounds of thrust and consists of a 3-stage fan, a 6-stage compressor, an annular combustor, a single stage high-pressure turbine, and a 2-stage low-pressure turbine, according to the US consulate.
In addition to the F-35, an F-16 Fighting Falcon duo will conduct daily aerial demonstrations from February 13-17, showcasing the capability of one of the USAF’s leading fighter jets. On static display, the F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are multirole fighters, it added.
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