What would be the historical significance of the U.S. F-35 offer to India, and what challenges might arise from this potential acquisition?

The U.S. F-35 offer represents a historic milestone as it would be the first American fighter aircraft to enter the Indian Air Force inventory. Historically, India has operated French, Russian, and British aircraft, but never American fighters due to past complications with strings-attached conditions dating back to the 1962 war. This shift is particularly significant given India's defense history with Russia, which offered the MiG-21 without conditions, leading to the establishment of the entire MiG family in the Indian Air Force. The potential F-35 acquisition would mark a major geopolitical realignment in India's defense partnerships. However, key challenges include integrating advanced U.S. stealth technology with India's predominantly Russian-based systems and understanding what conditions or strings might be attached to this offer, similar to historical American defense deals.