India opposition slams Trump's F-35 offer, Russia makes its own pitch
The offer from both U.S. and India's long-time defence partner Russia comes at a time when the Indian Air Force's squadrons have fallen to 31 from an approved strength of 42 and it is seeking to acquire more jets to counter China, which is rapidly building its military.
After meeting Modi in Washington last week, Trump said the U.S. will increase military sales to India starting in 2025 and will eventually provide the fifth-generation F-35 fighters made by Lockheed Martin.
India's main opposition Congress party has used Trump ally and billionaire Elon Musk's past criticism of the fighter to target Modi's government.
"The F-35, which Elon Musk has described as 'junk', why is Narendra Modi hell-bent on buying it?" asked a post on Congress's official X account this weekend, saying that the aircraft was expensive and had high operational costs.
The U.S. government estimates that an F-35 costs around $80 million.
The Indian government has not said it intends to buy the plane and India's foreign secretary told reporters last week that the U.S. offer was at a "proposal stage", adding that the acquisition process had not started.
India's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Congress post cited a November 2024 post by Musk on X in which he shared a video of a drone swarm and captioned it: "Meanwhile, some idiots are still building manned fighter jets like the F-35".
Musk later said in another X post: "Manned fighter jets are obsolete in the age of drones anyway".
Last week, Russia offered to make in India its fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 fighter, with locally sourced components, saying production could begin as early as this year if India agreed.
"Russia has never shied away from transferring technology," said Amit Cowshish, former financial adviser for acquisitions at the Indian defence ministry.
"The problem is not with Russia offering transfer of technology ... we will continue to deal with Russia and buy oil and maybe buy a couple of other things, but such a big (defence) deal is likely to create its own difficulties vis-à-vis (the) U.S.," Cowshish said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
10 minutes ago
- NBC News
Trump's tax law will mostly benefit the rich, while leaving poorer Americans with less, CBO says
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump 's tax and spending law will result in less income for the poorest Americans while sending money to the richest, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reported Monday. The CBO estimates that the 10% of poorest Americans will lose roughly $1,200 a year as they experience restrictions on government programs like Medicaid and food assistance, while the richest 10% of Americans will see their income increase by $13,600 from tax cuts. Overall, American households will see more income from the tax cuts in the legislation, including middle income households, but the largest benefit will go to the top 10% of earners. The CBO's report comes as lawmakers are away from Washington, many taking their messages about the bill to voters. Republicans muscled the legislation — deemed 'the big, beautiful bill' by Trump — through Congress in July. Democrats all vehemently opposed the legislation, warning that its tax cuts and spending priorities would come at the expense of vital government aid programs and a ballooning national debt. 'This really is a big, beautiful bill for billionaires, but for the poor and the working class in this country, you are actually poorer,' said Rep. Brendan Boyle, the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, in an MSNBC interview on Monday. Changes to eligibility for government food assistance under the law will impact millions of Americans, the CBO found. Roughly 2.4 million people won't be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program under new work requirements for many recipients. Low-income Americans could also see their income reduced through further restrictions on food aid and other types of assistance included in the law. Already, more than 10 million Americans are expected to be without health insurance by 2034 due to changes to Medicaid under the law. Following release of the report, Rep. Jason Smith, the Republican chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, said he took issue with CBO's methodology, repeating criticism he has made in the past. 'CBO has a troubled track record of getting its estimates incorrect and, like Democrats, is biased in favor of more federal spending and higher taxes,' Smith said on social media. 'Don't buy it.' Republicans have been eager to sell the upsides of the legislation — arguing that the tax cuts will spur economic growth — while they are on a monthlong summer break from Washington. But those who have held townhalls in their home districts have often been greeted by an earful from voters and activists. 'Tax the rich,' the crowd in Lincoln, Neb. chanted last week as Republican Rep. Michael Flood attempted to defend the bill. Still, Trump has been undeterred.
Fox News
26 minutes ago
- Fox News
Democratic whistleblower told FBI that Adam Schiff approved classified leaks to target Trump
A Democratic whistleblower told the FBI that Adam Schiff approved leaking classified information in order to discredit President Donald Trump, according to newly-released documents. The documents, which were obtained by Just The News, were recently handed over to Congress by FBI Director Kash Patel. The whistleblower reportedly worked for Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee for over ten years, and reported Schiff's alleged behavior to the FBI in 2017. According to the report, the intelligence staffer called the leaking "treasonous" and "illegal," in addition to being unethical. He was most recently interviewed by the FBI in 2023. The staffer also said that he personally attended a meeting where Schiff greenlit the leak. "When working in this capacity, [redacted staffer's name] was called to an all-staff meeting by SCHIFF," the documents state, per Just The News. "In this meeting, SCHIFF stated the group would leak classified information which was derogatory to President of the United States DONALD J. TRUMP. SCHIFF stated the information would be used to indict President TRUMP." "[The whistleblower] stated this would be illegal and, upon hearing his concerns, unnamed members of the meeting reassured that they would not be caught leaking classified information," the report added. John Solomon, who co-authored the piece with Just The News' Jerry Dunleavy, appeared on Fox News Channel's "Hannity" to discuss the report. "This is the first of several major leak investigations we're going to see over the next several days," Solomon said. "You're going to see other major people that were clearly identified by the FBI, having leaked classified secrets." "Their own staff turned them in when interviewed by the FBI. Nothing, again, happened," he added. "It's a common pattern. The question now is, in Donald Trump's Justice Department, does that dynamic change?" Soon after the report was published, Patel shared it on X, saying that the FBI "found it [and] declassified it."
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Exclusive-Fistful of dollars and rice for Vietnam farmers displaced for $1.5 billion Trump golf club
By Khanh Vu and Francesco Guarascio HUNG YEN, August 11 (Reuters) -Vietnamese farmer Nguyen Thi Huong has slept poorly since authorities told her to vacate her farm for a Trump family-backed golf resort, offering just $3,200 and rice provisions in return. The golf resort, for which construction is scheduled to begin next month, is offering thousands of villagers such compensation packages to leave the land that has provided their livelihood for years or decades, according to six people with direct knowledge and documents seen by Reuters. The project is the first partnership for the family business of U.S. President Donald Trump in Vietnam, which fast-tracked approvals as it negotiated a crucial trade deal with Washington. Developers are now cutting compensation forecasts from an initial estimate exceeding $500 million, said one person familiar with the plans who declined to elaborate on reasons for the reduction. The 990-hectare site designated for the golf course currently supports fruit farms growing bananas, longan, and other crops. While some see opportunity, many farmers are elderly and fear they will struggle to find alternative livelihoods in Vietnam's vibrant economy with its largely young demographic. "The whole village is worried about this project because it will take our land and leave us jobless," said 50-year-old Huong, who was told to leave her 200-square-metre (2152.78 square-feet) plot in Hung Yen province near capital Hanoi for less than the average pay for one year in Vietnam. Vietnamese real estate company Kinhbac City and its partners will develop the luxury golf club after paying the Trump Organization $5 million for brand licensing rights, according to regulatory filings and a source familiar with the deal. Trump's family business will run the club once completed, but is not involved in the investment and in compensation to farmers. Trump has said his assets in the businesses are held in a trust managed by his children, but disclosures in June showed income from those sources ultimately accrues to the president. Vietnam's agriculture ministry, Hung Yen authorities, the Trump Organization and Kinhbac City did not reply to questions on compensation rates. Authorities will determine final compensation rates based on land size and location, with formal approval expected next month. Five farmers facing dispossessions said authorities flagged reimbursements worth between $12 and $30 per square metre of farmland. They also offered additional payments for uprooted plants and provisions of rice for some months, roughly in line with one document seen by Reuters. The person familiar with the compensation plan said the range was accurate, declining to be named because the information was not public. A local official declined to talk about the compensation but said rates for farmland in the area have usually not exceeded $14 per square metre. They are often higher in other provinces. In Communist-run Vietnam, farmland is managed by the state. Farmers are assigned small plots for long-term use but have little say when authorities decide to take the land back. Protests are common but usually fruitless. Compensation is paid by the state but developers foot the bill. Four of the farmers contacted by Reuters were not happy with the proposed rates because their small plots would produce low payments. Thousands of villagers will be affected, according to a second document from local authorities seen by Reuters, which stated final payment decisions were expected next month. Huong leases a larger plot from other villagers, but can claim land compensation only for the small one assigned to her and for the plants she grows. "What can someone like me do after that?" RICE FOR LAND Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said farmers would be reimbursed fairly when he spoke in May at the groundbreaking ceremony for the golf project to an audience that included Trump's son Eric, a senior vice president of the Trump Organization. "We have no right to negotiate. That's a shame," said Do Dinh Huong, another farmer who was told his plot would be compensated at roughly $12 per square metre. He said he would have accepted what he believed was a low rate if the land were to be used to build roads or other public infrastructure. "But this is a business project. I don't know how that would contribute to people's life." Authorities have also offered rice as compensation, with provisions varying from two to twelve months, according to one of the documents seen by Reuters. Nguyen Thi Chuc, a 54-year-old farmer who grows bananas in what will become the Trump golf club, was told by authorities she might receive roughly $30 per square metre for her 200-square-metre plot. "I'm getting old and can't do anything else other than working on the farm," she said. Conversely, lawyers and investors in the province said the golf club would create better jobs and enrich villagers. Le Van Tu, a 65-year-old local who will be compensated for his small plot and owns an eatery in a village that the golf club will abut, said he will upgrade his diner into a restaurant to cater to wealthier clients. Land prices in the village have risen fivefold since the project was announced in October, he said. He was also happy a nearby pig farm will be gone: "It won't be stinky anymore." Solve the daily Crossword
