**"Your people don't even let us go near the aircraft, and you are talking about selling it to us."**

That was IAF chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, with US Pacific Air Forces commander Gen Kevin Schneider sitting beside him, when he was asked about the F-35 at the Tarang Shakti-2026 press conference in Jodhpur. He said the US has made **no formal offer** of the stealth jet. India was not shown the cockpit, but IAF jets were allowed to fly in close formation with it.

He also confirmed that Russia has offered the **Su-57**, adding that "there has been no decision yet" and the government has to decide whether the IAF should evaluate it.

Six USAF F-35As took part in Tarang Shakti, the jet's first exercise on Indian soil. Gen Schneider said F-35 programme security rules decide what can be shared.