The best the US will offer is the F-15.16.18. There may be some tech transfer. This is what India actually wants from a supplier. Like China with Russia. I can't see the F-35 being offered and if it was, there would be no tech transfer.
The US is open to tech transfer in certain areas. GE has requested the Senate to provide India 100% ToT for the F414, and that will open up cooperation for AMCA's advanced engine. If that's blocked, then that's largely the end of long term US-India cooperation in aerospace, 'cause the French are cool with 100% ToT.
The IN doesn't need ToT for 1-2 squadrons, 'cause there's no local production required for such small numbers, it's only realistic for 6 squadrons. The US is willing to offer the F-35 with very limited ToT, like CKDs at best and some spares production, but they want a GTG deal. So the F-35 is an option for the IN, who want just 1-2 squadrons.
The F-35 is in India 'cause the US intends to sell it to India.
Aero India 2023: The US, which has come with its largest-ever delegation, said India is its ‘partner of choice’ and both sides are taking ‘next steps’ in enhancing their defence partnership.
news.abplive.com
“We are still at the very early stages of India considering what it is interested in for its next generation Air Force fighter. Those discussions on the India side are still very early and so I would say it’s far too premature to talk about that,” said Rear Admiral Michael L. Baker, Senior Defense Official & Defense Attaché, US Embassy, New Delhi.
And, what's important to note is India is not the one asking for the F-35.
He added: “We haven’t been asked. We haven’t had those kind of high-level of discussions (on F-35). India is very focussed on building its own future fighters.”
India today is where the US was before WW2, a rising power, and the US is where the UK was before WW2, a declining power. The Americans understand very well that they have no hopes of competing with China in the long term, hence they are hyping up India's stature globally in a semi-artificial manner. Better a democratic India without a stick up its *censored* running the world than an authoritative China born with a built-in unremovable stick.
We are in a temporary US vs China contest for global leadership, which should last about a decade, a decade and a half, post which the main competition will be between India and China, and this could last dozens of decades, perhaps centuries, like it has been in the past.
