India Rejects Reports of Halting US Defence Deals as ‘False and Fabricated’ Amid Tariff Row
Senior Indian defence officials on Friday vehemently rejected a British media report that claimed New Delhi had paused plans to procure major US defence systems in retaliation for President Donald Trump’s crippling 50% tariffs. Labelling the report “false and fabricated,” the officials clarified that all ongoing procurement deals are being processed according to established procedures, signaling that the deep-rooted defence partnership remains on track despite the escalating trade conflict.
The strong denial from New Delhi came in response to a Reuters report which claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government had put discussions to purchase Stryker combat vehicles and Javelin anti-tank missiles on hold.
The report linked this alleged pause directly to the tariff dispute that erupted after Trump imposed the steep levies on Indian goods as a penalty for its continued purchase of Russian oil. India had slammed the US move as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,” vowing to protect its national interests.
Despite the bitter trade war, officials emphasized the resilience of the US-India defence relationship, which has grown from under $1 billion to over $18 billion in recent years. This strategic partnership has seen India make major acquisitions from the US, including C-130J and C-17 transport aircraft, P-8I maritime patrol planes, and Apache and Chinook helicopters. In fact, the Indian Army received its first consignment of Apache helicopters just last month.
The rejected report also seemed to contradict the positive momentum from PM Modi’s meeting with President Trump at the White House in February. During that visit, both leaders announced ambitious plans to pursue co-production of Javelin missiles and Stryker vehicles in India to meet the country’s defence needs, and to sign a new ten-year framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership. The officials’ clarification on Friday suggests that while the economic relationship is under severe strain, the strategic and defence ties continue to move forward.
