A senior Lockheed Martin executive told an Indian TV reporter this week that India could be offered the Joint Strike Fighter, the International Herald Tribune reports. Video here.

Not quite clear is whether the stealthy JSF would be offered as part of India's 126-aircraft Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) order or as a follow-on to Lockheed Martin's proposal for an advanced F-16.

However, Lockheed Martin Global managing director Royce Caplinger said that the JSFs could be "one for one" substitutes for the other aircraft on offer in MRCA. This might be possible for later deliveries, particularly if India signed up soon under the proposed non-US multi-year contract.