US President Donald Trump has announced plans to sell advanced F-35 fighter jets to India, a move that could significantly boost military ties between the two countries.
The announcement came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the White House on Thursday, marking his first trip since Trump’s return to office and the start of his second term on January 20.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Trump praised India as a key strategic partner and highlighted the growing cooperation between the nations. “Starting this year, we’ll be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars. We’re also paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F-35 stealth fighters,” he said.
Trump also highlighted his strong rapport with PM Modi, calling him a “much tougher negotiator” and noting the “special bond” between their nations.
The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening trade and defence relations, even as Trump maintained his hard stance on economic issues with much of the world.
If the F-35 stealth fighter deal goes through, India will join an exclusive group of countries—including NATO allies, Israel, and Japan—that operate the cutting-edge aircraft.
Beyond military agreements, trade discussions took centre stage. Trump, who has long criticised India’s tariffs, reiterated his concerns, calling them “unfair” and “very strong.” Earlier in the day, he announced new reciprocal tariffs on all countries, including India, raising uncertainty over future trade ties. However, PM Modi struck a more optimistic tone, saying both sides would work towards a “mutually beneficial trade agreement” focusing on oil and gas. Trump also highlighted broader economic collaboration, stating that the two countries planned to invest in infrastructure projects, including ports, railways, and undersea cables, as part of a trade route linking India to Israel and Europe.
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk also joined Trump’s discussions with PM Modi. The newly appointed DOGE head, who has taken on an influential role in the administration, also held a private meeting with the Indian leader, raising questions about whether he was acting in an official or business capacity. Modi later shared photos of their meeting, showing a Musk alongside Indian officials.
The visit also touched on immigration policies. India recently accepted a US military flight carrying 100 shackled migrants as part of Trump’s immigration crackdown, sparking criticism from Indian opposition leaders. However, PM Modi defended the decision, stating that undocumented Indians in the US were being exploited by human traffickers. “Any verified Indian who is in the US illegally, we are fully prepared to take them back to India,” he said.
In return, Trump announced that the US would extradite Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a suspect linked to the deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks. Calling him “one of the very evil people in the world,” Trump confirmed that the long-pending extradition would proceed after Rana lost his appeal to the US Supreme Court.