India and US plan to strengthen defense ties with potential F-35 sales

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to enhance defense cooperation, including potential sales of F-35 fighter jets. This marks a significant step in the U.S.-India strategic partnership. The leaders plan to sign a new 10-year defense framework, focusing on military cooperation across various domains. They aim to improve logistics and intelligence sharing for overseas military deployments in the Indo-Pacific region. Despite these developments, India remains heavily reliant on Russian arms, which constitute about 60% of its defense equipment. Experts note that diversifying defense sources will take time, and immediate needs for aircraft may not be met quickly.