NEW DELHI, August 1. /TASS/. India is guided by its national security interests when purchasing weapons and combat vehicles from foreign partners, Indian foreign ministry spokesman, Randhir Jaiswal, told a briefing.

"Purchases linked to satisfying our defense needs <… > stem exclusively from our national interests and strategic assessments," he said, when asked to comment on reports that India has refused from buying US-made fifth-generation F-35 fighter jects after the US imposed 25% tariffs on Indian goods.

Bloomberg reported earlier that India had notified the United States that it was not interested in buying US-made F-35 stealth fighter jets. According to the agency’s sources, New Delhi is looking at buying more energy sources from the US to settle trade strains with Washington. However, India doesn’t plan to expand imports of US military hardware, a thing US President Donald Trump insists on.

During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States in February, Trump offered him to buy F-35 fighter jets, the agency recalled. But India refused, saying that it is more interested in joint development and production of combat vehicles in its territory.