The US is still trying to woo Delhi to acquire more American weapons, particularly fighter jets such as the F-21, an advanced F-16 derivative “with F-22 and F-35 DNA”. The latter’s lack of a demo flight is very indicative of its reputation within the Indian military, which is particularly worried about the fact that countries with F-35s are virtually always subjected to unacceptable levels of control, risking their sovereignty while also acquiring a mediocre aircraft at best.
