How US Arms Embargo History Fuels IAF's Cautious Approach to American Fighter Jet Acquisition, Especially During India's Conflicts with China-Pak

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is exercising caution in considering American fighter jets like the F-21, F-15EX, and F/A-18 Super Hornet due to concerns over potential U.S. arms embargoes during future conflicts, particularly with Pakistan or China. This apprehension is deeply rooted in historical instances where the U.S. has leveraged its military supply chain for political influence.

Past experiences have shown how U.S. foreign policy can directly impact India's access to critical military equipment. During the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, the U.S. imposed an arms embargo on both nations, hindering India's ability to replenish its arsenal.

The 1999 Kargil conflict further highlighted this vulnerability, as strict end-user agreements limited India's deployment of American-supplied systems. Moreover, the sanctions imposed after India's 1998 nuclear tests demonstrated the potential for U.S. political decisions to disrupt India's military readiness.

These historical precedents have instilled a sense of caution within the IAF. Unlike Russian or indigenously produced platforms, American fighter jets require a continuous supply of spares and software updates, often controlled by the U.S. government. In the event of a conflict with Pakistan or China, there is a legitimate concern that the U.S. could impose sanctions or suspend support, effectively grounding these aircraft at a crucial juncture.

This cautious approach reflects a broader strategic consideration for India, which seeks to maintain its autonomy in defence procurement and avoid over-reliance on any single supplier. While American fighter jets offer advanced capabilities, the IAF remains acutely aware of the potential risks associated with relying on a supplier with a history of using arms embargoes as a foreign policy tool.

 

[R. Singh]

Time has changed now in case of Russia also after Ukraine war and Chinese close relations with Russia We may not get same support from Russia if war breaks out with China ! We should follow balanced approach, We should ink deal with USA free of Carrot and stick approach ! We need F-16 Block 70/72 to supplement Tejas-1a and F-36 to supplement AF-II and F-35 to supplement AMCA ! Remember Russia didn't offer TOT for FGFA/Su-57 !

 

[AJS]

The US is so very deeply engaged in our neighbourhood that it is always likely to have some political objective or other of its own in respect of India’s adversaries, so one cannot look at the US as just an arms supplier but as a player with a vested interest which may not always be aligned with that of India. Moreover, US policies are always hostage to the ever changing political situation in the US itself, every time there is a change of president. India ought to determinedly pursue indigenous design and manufacturing of major Defense equipment, using the US as a supplier, technology / investment partner, and only buy their equipment in categories where no prospect of indigenous development exists or where the US systems have a incomparable superiority such as P8 LRMR aircraft, etc.

 

[Surfer]

If GOI wants F35, F21 is the only door way.

 

[op gupta]

Purchase of f-35 would definitely be one of the Biggest Gamble by govt of India.

 

[PKPRS]

It all comes to whether we wanted GE F414 engine or not, we can’t afford not to get GE F414 engine.

 

[sanket]

All 3 mentioned fighter jets first have to meet the MRFA criteria. Eurofighter & Rafale are way ahead & F-21 doesn't even have a prototype for evaluation.

 

[Dredd]

It all comes to whether we wanted GE F414 engine or not, we can’t afford not to get GE F414 engine.

Also, Trump will use trade imbalance as a tactic to pressurize India into buying US fighters. Now it's up to the Indian government whether to fall for the yesteryear F-15 or the future-proof F-35.

 

[Baiju Bhaskaran]

Except for French Rafales, all western aircraft are totally useless. They failed miserably against all those countries which have a formidable air force or superior air defence. US aircraft could not match the Vietnamese Russian aircraft and they lost huge numbers during the Vietnam war. Pakistan US aircraft lost to Indian Maruts and Migs in 1965 and 71. In 1999 they did not dare to come near our Mig 29, Sukhoi or Mirages. In 2019 also it was proved that even today if an intelligent pilot flies a Mig 21, it can easily bring down an F16 or maybe any other US aircraft. So US aircraft should be a total no for us. Only Rafales, Sukhoi's and Tejas should be considered.

 

[Muthukumar Ponnambalam]

But we still will be arm-twisting to buy only American weapons.

Already the PM's "best friend" asked him, "Are you guys gonna buy more American weapons or what?" and India humbly increased its procurement of American weapons by a couple of billion dollars.

So the PM won't want to do anything that makes his "best friend" frown. Or else his "best friend" will turn and give a stare, enough to make India tremble.

WHY TAKE A RISK, YOU SEE.

 

[Akshat]

If GOI wants F35, F21 is the only door way.

But IAF/GoI never said they want F35, have they? On the contrary, IAF has specifically denied it and have said they don't want it at all.

 

[Akshat]

Purchase of f-35 would definitely be one of the Biggest Gamble by govt of India.

But GoI has said openly they don't want F35.

 

[Akshat]

Except for French Rafales, all western aircraft are totally useless. They failed miserably against all those countries which have a formidable air force or superior air defence. US aircraft could not match the Vietnamese Russian aircraft and they lost huge numbers during the Vietnam war. Pakistan US aircraft lost to Indian Maruts and Migs in 1965 and 71. In 1999 they did not dare to come near our Mig 29, Sukhoi or Mirages. In 2019 also it was proved that even today if an intelligent pilot flies a Mig 21, it can easily bring down an F16 or maybe any other US aircraft. So US aircraft should be a total no for us. Only Rafales, Sukhoi's and Tejas should be considered.

Well fact is that those wars were never between contemporaries. If you want to compare in this manner, then why not include the Operation Desert Shield too? That was in fact far more closer than what you mentioned. Iraq at the time was said to boast the most formidable array of Soviet weaponry outside of Russia, and it lost badly to the US jets. I can list many other such examples too but what's the point.

 

[Shafted mohammed]

There is always some problem with America. The deals signed so far have yielded almost nothing as their state department puts so many ifs and buts that you cannot believe them as it never gives results. The treaties signed before are all useless as some other law supersedes the other and things get blocked. The truth is America has to show that it is a reliable partner by supplying the deals signed before without any delay, arrange something to counter supply chain issues and first start supplying GE engines, Apache and Predator. If they succeed then other things can be talked about. Right now we can assume that we are under undeclared sanctions.

 

[Hari Sud]

If GOI wants F35, F21 is the only door way.

No GOI does not want F35; it is military which prefers them based on visual and printed propaganda.

 

[Bhupesh Desai]

Let's hypothesis that India buys US war planes. The issues will happen same once democratic government who favors Pakistan comes in power it will causes issues from India using such planes. Thus in a long run it does not make sense to buy American planes.

 

[Harsh]

Also, Trump will use trade imbalance as a tactic to pressurize India into buying US fighters. Now it's up to the Indian government whether to fall for the yesteryear F-15 or the future-proof F-35.

The fact is F35 is useless for India unless you mortgage you defense modernization, surrender to US audits and forget learning anything about avionics from the deal.

 

[Dredd]

The fact is F35 is useless for India unless you mortgage you defense modernization, surrender to US audits and forget learning anything about avionics from the deal.

We have already put our transport fleet in their hand, Stop being fanatic, we are not living in cold war era, world dynamics has changed, USA needs india more than we need them.

 

[Anant]

Except for French Rafales, all western aircraft are totally useless. They failed miserably against all those countries which have a formidable air force or superior air defence. US aircraft could not match the Vietnamese Russian aircraft and they lost huge numbers during the Vietnam war. Pakistan US aircraft lost to Indian Maruts and Migs in 1965 and 71. In 1999 they did not dare to come near our Mig 29, Sukhoi or Mirages. In 2019 also it was proved that even today if an intelligent pilot flies a Mig 21, it can easily bring down an F16 or maybe any other US aircraft. So US aircraft should be a total no for us. Only Rafales, Sukhoi's and Tejas should be considered.

The USAF took serious losses in Vietnam, sure.

However, explain the following counter-examples, if you will. All of them involved US jets:

1. Operation Mole Cricket 19 (June 1982): A fleet of 90 F-15s and F-16s plus about 20 UAVs from Israel attacked the Syrian Air Force. By the end, they had lost one UAV and had minor damage to 2 F-15s. The Syrians, who had some 30 SAM batteries and dispatched about 100 aircraft (MiG-21s and MiG-23s) saw 29 of the SAM batteries destroyed, the last one damaged, and lost 82-86 jets shot down and a further 7-11 damaged.

2. The Gulf War saw the Coalition lose 44 aircraft lost in combat (plus 31 non-combat losses). In return, the Iraqi Air Force saw some 270 aircraft destroyed, with a further 137 escaping to Iran.

3. The Iraqi Air Force was pretty much wiped out in 2003, while the US-led Coalition lost 7 aircraft in combat and a further 27 to other reasons.

4. Just last December, the Israeli Air Force pretty much wiped out the entirety of the Syrian Air Force and Syrian Navy, and dealt significant equipment blows to all parts of the Syrian military. In doing so, they took no damage or losses.