A claim has recently surfaced on social media platform X(formerly Twitter) alleging that according to unofficial reports, the USA has rejected India’s urgent request to buy F-35 stealth fighter jets. The claim has been shared by Pak-based handles on X.
X handle named Asad Nasir posted an image and wrote: “According to unofficial reports, The USA has rejected India’s urgent request to buy F-35 stealth fighter jets”.
Similarly, another account named also posted the same image stating the claim. The link can be seen here.
Fact-check
The DFRAC team investigated the claim and found it to be false.
We conducted a google keyword search related to the above viral claim and found no such reports available online supporting it.
Contrary to this claim, we found multiple reports from India. com, Indian Defense News published in Dec 2024. The reports stated that Pakistan’s recent approval to acquire the Chinese J-35 stealth fighter could enhance its air combat capabilities. Experts assess that in the changed geopolitical situation, the US may offer the F-35A to India, which will be the answer to the Chinese J-35A for regional balance.
Furthermore, we come across reports from EUR Asian Times and IDRW indicating that the US has always been pushing its F-35 to India but it’s India that is keen on its Indigenous AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft) program.
Conclusion
It is evident from DFRAC’s fact-check the viral claim stating that the USA has rejected India’s urgent request to buy F-35 stealth fighter jets is misleading. In reality, it is the USA that has been actively pushing for their F-35 fighter Jet to India.
Analysis: Misleading