New Delhi was quick to turn down the recent US proposal to join the multinational Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II project, as it would obviously be affecting its earlier commitments to Russian partners.

The US proposals came in January 2011, shortly after New Delhi and Moscow signed for co-development of the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA). Accepting the F-35 offer would entail revision of the Russian deal that was negotiated for some five years. On 21 December 2010 New Delhi committed into agreement with the Russians, and agreed to provide US dollar 295 million into FGFA development as its initial contribution.

Meantime, sources in India’s Ministry of defense told the local media that their country could not afford participation to two next-generation fighter programs, the FGFA and F-35.