The absence of a top-quality strike aircraft such as the F-35 is detracting from the IAF’s ability as a whole.
In February, U.S President Donald Trump, in one of his trademark off-script surprises, offered to supply the Indian Air Force (IAF) with the United States’ most capable and secretive combat aircraft: the F-35 Lightning II “joint strike fighter” (JSF). This is the first time that Washington has signaled interest in supplying India with the F-35.
New Delhi should waste no time in accepting Trump’s offer and in integrating this immensely capable fighter-bomber into India’s strike arsenal.
India’s first step toward building a potent air strike capability must be to acknowledge that the induction of 36 Rafale fighters into the IAF’s fleet has failed to create the deterrence needed to keep Pakistan and China at bay.
After the IAF’s strike on the Jaish-e-Mohammed encampment at Balakot in February 2019, in which it lost at least one MiG-21 fighter, Defense Minis
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