Turkey Eyes F-35 Comeback, Dumps Russia's S-400 – Will India Buy The Abandoned Missiles?
New Delhi: Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump met briefly on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague. That meeting has now turned into a flashpoint in Washington's shifting military ties with Ankara.
Flying home after the summit, the Turkish president said his country had not closed the door on the F-35 fighter jet. His comments came days after Turkey announced an upgrade to its domestic air defense network, the so-called 'Steel Dome'.
Trump later confirmed what Erdogan hinted at. The U.S. president told a small group of Republican donors that Turkey's return to the F-35 fold was 'being worked out'.
He did not give a timeline but said conversations had moved into the technical phase.
The F-35 story has been a sensitive one for both sides. In 2019, Turkey took delivery of a Russian S-400 air defense system. That $2.5 billion deal led to U.S. sanctions. The Pentagon froze Turkey out of the F-35 consortium. Diplomats on both ends called it a low point.
Now, the mood is shifting.
Trump believes the impasse can be resolved. Speaking off the record with aides after the summit, he reportedly said Turkey's 'signals are encouraging' and that 'we have got momentum'.
Turkey has not activated the S-400s. They remain locked up in a military base, with their future uncertain. That may be the olive branch Washington needs.
A former U.S. official familiar with the talks called the change in tone 'a huge reversal'. The official said Turkey may be willing to cut its losses on the S-400s to re-enter the Western tech ecosystem.
On June 29, U.S. envoy Tom Barrack said sanctions on Turkey's defense sector might be lifted by the end of the year. He told Anadolu that both Erdogan and Trump were 'pushing for resolution'.
Insiders now say Ankara could be back in the F-35 loop within months. That path would require Turkey to mothball its S-400s permanently or sell them to a third country.
Names being floated? Pakistan. Even India.
There is no confirmation yet. But Erdogan's remarks suggest the S-400 deal may have run its course.
For his part, Trump sees the F-35 not as a sale but as a strategic bridge. One that can still link Ankara back to Washington.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
21 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Why Canada made a u-turn on its contentious Digital Services Tax
In a bid to restart stalled trade negotiations with the United States, Canada scrapped its Digital Services Tax (DST) hours before it was due to take effect on Monday. Calling the DST 'a direct and blatant attack' on the US, President Donald Trump had on Friday announced the termination of all trade discussions with Canada. With the contentious tax out of the way, talks between Washington and Ottawa will likely resume. What was the DST? The DST was a 3% levy on the digital services revenue a firm made from Canadian users above $20 million in a calendar year. Controversially, the tax was set to be retroactively implemented beginning 2022. This would have had a significant impact on American technology giants such as Google, Meta, Apple, and Amazon — American tech companies would have had to pay roughly $2.7 billion to the Canadian government, if the tax were to be implemented, The New York Times had reported. 'The DST was announced in 2020 to address the fact that many large technology companies operating in Canada may not otherwise pay tax on revenues generated from Canadians…,' Canada's finance ministry said in its statement on Sunday. While the law had been passed earlier, payments were due from Monday. What does Canada's U-turn mean? Canada is the United States' second-largest trading partner after Mexico, and the largest buyer of US exports. It bought $349.4 billion of US goods and exported $412.7 billion to the US last year, according to US Census Bureau data. At the same time, it currently faces the steepest of Trump's tariffs: apart from the 10% base tariff imposed on most countries, Canada (and Mexico) face an additional 25% on all exports to the US, apparently meant to curb illegal immigration and stop fentanyl smuggling. Trump has also slapped 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada and 25% on auto imports. This makes getting a trade deal with the US a top priority for Canada. Scrapping the DST would help in this regard — Trump had been among its most vehement critics. Early indications are that Washington and Ottawa could meet the previously-set July 21 deadline for a trade agreement. Domestically, the U-turn is unlikely to hurt Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, despite his election platform revolving around standing up to the US President. This is because the DST was not particularly popular in Canada either since it could have raised the cost of all kinds of digital services — from hailing cab rides to streaming movies. In fact, in recent months, many speculated that the tax's best purpose could be to serve as a bargaining chip in ongoing trade talks with the US.
New Indian Express
22 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Sensex rise 118 points, Nifty 50 reaches 25,535; markets open higher on Tuesday
CHENNAI: Indian markets opened slightly higher on Tuesday, supported by gains in Asian equities and improved global sentiment ahead of the upcoming US tariff deadline on July 9. The Sensex rose 118 points to 83,724 at the opening bell, while the Nifty 50 added 18 points to reach 25,535. This positive start reflected a 0.6% rise in the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index and followed a strong finish on Wall Street, fueled by hopes of progress in U.S. trade talks. Meanwhile, oil prices edged lower on expectations of increased output from OPEC+—a welcome sign for India, which relies heavily on crude imports. Additionally, oil prices declined on expectations of an OPEC+ output increase—a favorable development for India, which is a major crude importer. The US dollar softened ahead of key US economic data and an upcoming vote on President Trump's fiscal reforms, which also supported emerging markets like India. On the domestic front, sentiment was supported by hopes for a breakthrough in India–US trade talks. Investors are closely watching for any early resolution ahead of the July 9 deadline. Among stocks in focus, Apollo Hospitals gained over 4% in early trade following news of a planned spin-off and listing of its digital health and pharmacy unit within the next 18–21 months. The parent company plans to retain a 15% stake in the new entity.
Mint
29 minutes ago
- Mint
‘America Party', ‘PORKY PIG PARTY': Four times Elon Musk flipped on Donald Trump after quitting DOGE
Days after US President Donald Trump called Tesla CEO as 'wonderful man' weeks after a much public fallout of the bromance, Elon Musk got right back in it. As the Senate debated President Donald Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' on Monday before a final vote, Tesla boss Elon Musk issued a stark warning via his social media platform X – the warning that he would launch the 'America Party' the day after Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' is passed. 'Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame! And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth,' Elon Musk posted early on Monday. A few hours later the Tesla and SpaceX chief executive doubled down: 'If the insane spending bill passes, the America Party will be formed the next day.' He added: 'Our country needs an alternative to the Democrat‑Republican uniparty so that the people actually have a VOICE.' The row escalated when Elon Musk blasted the Senate package for boosting borrowing by a record US$5 trillion: 'It is obvious with the insane spending of this bill, which increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS that we live in a one‑party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!! Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people.' Elon Musk insists lost subsidies for electric vehicles and solar power are not his chief concern; instead, he brands the bill 'debt slavery' that props up 'industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future'. Elon Musk accused Republicans of colluding with Democrats on US debt reduction despite their opposing claims. Replying to a post, Elon Musk Wrote, 'They just pretend to be two parties. It's just one uniparty in reality.' Elon Musk accused GOP lawmakers of hypocrisy for supporting massive debt increases, calling the spending bill 'debt slavery' and warning that both parties are effectively a 'one-party' system when it comes to fiscal irresponsibility The Senate package contains deeper tax cuts, fewer spending cuts and provisions that would raise revenue. The White House has argued the bill 'slashes deficits' and the debt, while 'unleashing economic growth.' The Trump administration and certain Senate Republicans are opting not to include the cost of extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts in their calculations of the bill's impact on the federal deficit. Version 10-year-deficit impact Main Differences House‑passed +US$2.4 trn Sharper spending trims Senate Draft +US$3.3 trn Deeper tax cut, fewer savings Elon Musk's resolution to support candidates who plan to launch primary campaigns against members of Congress is one of Musk's most concrete political threats since leaving his post as a White House adviser. Musk spent more than $275 million to support Trump and other Republican candidates in the 2024 election. In late May he said in an interview he was planning to cut back on political spending. After pouring hundreds of millions into Republican races in 2024 and briefly serving as a White House adviser, Elon Musk claimed in May 2025 he had 'done enough' politically. Monday's threat to bankroll challengers shows the retreat was short‑lived. Though Elon Musk has said the loss of electric vehicle and solar energy subsidies and credits in the bill are not why he opposes the legislation, he has complained the bill 'gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.' Federal Election Commission data reveal his America PAC last donated in March to Florida hopefuls Randy Fine and Jimmy Patronis, but the tech mogul now signals a new spending spree to punish Republicans who endorse the bill. Since Elon Musk quit the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in May 2025, he has blown hot and cold with Donald Trump at least four notable times: Early May 2025 – Elon Musk publicly criticised Donald Trump's flagship spending legislation, the "One Big Beautiful Bill," calling it a 'disgusting abomination' and warning it would worsen the national debt. This marked the start of their fallout. Late May 2025 – Following his criticism, Musk left the Trump administration and distanced himself from Trump's policies, signalling a rupture in their alliance. June 5, 2025 – The feud escalated into a public war of words on social media, with Musk accusing Trump of ungratefulness and making controversial allegations, while Trump threatened to withdraw federal contracts from Musk's companies. Early to mid-June 2025 – Musk attempted a partial reconciliation by deleting some inflammatory posts and resharing Trump's posts related to immigration enforcement, but the overall relationship remained tense and unstable.
