The British F-35B fighter jet, stationed at International Airport for over a month due to a technical snag, has returned to flight after successful maintenance by a UK engineering team. The collaboration with Indian authorities highlights the strong defense partnership between the UK and India.

Of the 11 crashes recorded in the past two decades, seven involved China-made aircraft, three Russian-made, and one Czech-made.

United States President Donald Trump has said up to five fighter jets were shot down during the recent India-Pakistan conflict, which erupted after an April attack in Indian-administered Kashmir brought the nuclear-armed neighbours to the cusp of their fifth all-out war, before a ceasefire in May.

The UK’s F-35B Lightning II fighter jet remained grounded at Thiruvananthapuram airport for over five weeks. Now, the aircraft is finally ready to take off again. The jet is a fifth-generation stealth fighter.

It is not just an upgrade of technology, but it is about creating an entirely new language of war, say reports.