Surjewala raises questions on whether India needs expensive F35 fighter jets from US

New Delhi: Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala on Saturday raised several questions on whether the country required expensive fighter jets like F35 aircraft from the US and if security experts and armed forces were consulted in the national interest.

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit, India and the US unveiled an ambitious plan to sign a new 10-year defence partnership and pursue co-production of key weapons and platforms with President Donald Trump announcing that Washington would increase sales of military hardware to New Delhi by millions of dollars including possible supply of F-35 stealth fighter jets.

In multiple posts on X, Surjewala claimed there are many flaws in the F 35 aircraft and many accidents have happened, with some calling them "junk" and others "useless".

"There is a lot of discussion about Prime Minister Modi buying F 35 fighter aircraft from America, but did the Modi government consider these aspects in the interest of the country," he asked.

The cost of flying an F 35 fighter aircraft is $35,000 per hour, i.e. Rs 28,00,000 per hour, he said, adding F 35 is the most expensive fighter aircraft in the world and the cost of one aircraft is approximately $110 million, or Rs 968 crore.

"Does the Modi government think that the cost of Rs 28 lakh per hour is right for India and was the opinion of the Indian Air Force and defence experts taken in this regard," Surjewala asked.

"Prime Minister Modi is buying F 35 fighter aircraft from America, but did the Modi government consider these aspects in national interest before taking a unilateral decision to buy F 35 aircraft at the behest of President Trump. Does the Indian Air Force want to buy F 35 fighter aircraft in accordance with the country's defense interests? Was the Air Force's opinion taken," the Congress leader asked in another post in Hindi.

He also asked why the committee of Indian Air Force pilots and defence experts not investigate and recommend the purchase of F 35 fighter aircraft, or did the 'Defense Acquisition Council' that decides on defense purchase deals make any such recommendation.

"So how can the Prime Minister take a unilateral decision," Surjewala asked.

"The people of the country, security experts and people from the three armed forces of the country would like answers from the Modi government in the national interest," he further asked.

"Did the American security agency 'Pentagon's report' itself admit that the F35 fighter plane does not meet its operational requirements? Has the report of American security agency Pentagon admitted that F-35 has 65 operational flaws? Did Modiji study this Pentagon report and got the Indian Air Force to study this report," he also questioned.

"Has the Modi government taken note of the fact that the Indian Air Force fleet uses a variety of technologies - Russian MiG 21 and 29 and Sukhoi, French Mirage and Rafale? Has the Modi government studied another new technology and its impact on the pilot and maintenance wings of the Indian Air Force," Surjewala further asked.