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Nobody is denying any of that. But the question is how much influence can any number of defence purchases have on US policy?? As you rightly said, the US is the preeminent power on the planet, so billions in purchases will not have the kind of impact people seem to think.

The Saudis have purchased several billions in weaponry-have they influenced US policy against Israel?? What about their concerns on Iran? Taiwan has bought and plans to buy billions-not much support for them either. The fact remains that there will remain significant distance between the US and India on issues such as US military aid to Pakistan, India’s energy relations with Iran and nuclear weapons. That would remain so irrespective of whether the MMRCA deal went to an American company or not. India has brought over 8 billion USD worth of weaponry from US companies since 2005-has military aid and sale/upgrades of Pakistani systems stopped? What is the guarantee that it will stop if an American company won the MMRCA deal.

About access to US technology, countries such as the UK, Australia and Israel which have had far stronger relations with the US have faced roadblocks on access to JSF technology. Would a single defense deal for all the hype it’s worth make things easier for India?

The Saudis have purchased several billions in weaponry-have they influenced US policy against Israel?? What about their concerns on Iran? Taiwan has bought and plans to buy billions-not much support for them either.

I think the question has to be, what would Saudi Arabia's influence and position in the Mideast and the world be if they had historically kept the US at arms length? Would Desert Storm have occurred? Would the Saudi royals still be in charge at all?

And while I agree that there's been a shameful amount of dithering on Obama's part (and Bush's part) wrt to support for Taiwan in the face of PRC opposition, it's likely that the nation of Taiwan wouldn't exist at all today if not for US support.

A close military and diplomatic relationship with the US obviously isn't going to satisfy every item on a nation's wish-list. Pakistan will not be abandoned, India will not be the sole exception to the F-22 export ban, etc. But a close alliance with the US puts India in a much better position to get US action on Pakistan and to confront China in the years to come.

The fact remains that there will remain significant distance between the US and India on issues such as US military aid to Pakistan, India’s energy relations with Iran and nuclear weapons. That would remain so irrespective of whether the MMRCA deal went to an American company or not.

Well, yes - all nations have differences on policies, including the US and it's closest allies. But that doesn't take away the logic for those alliances to exist.

India has brought over 8 billion USD worth of weaponry from US companies since 2005-has military aid and sale/upgrades of Pakistani systems stopped? What is the guarantee that it will stop if an American company won the MMRCA deal.

There is no such guarantee, of course. But there is the certainty that the US will pay much closer attention to Indian concerns if India is more closely aligned with the US. And also the likelihood that India will get access to qualitatively better US technology than the Pakistanis. We've already seen the US agree to Indian access to nuclear technology they won't grant to Pakistan.

About access to US technology, countries such as the UK, Australia and Israel which have had far stronger relations with the US have faced roadblocks on access to JSF technology. Would a single defense deal for all the hype it’s worth make things easier for India?

Again, it's not just the single defense deal but the defense deal as the beginning of a much closer alliance between the US and India. Of course the US is never going to give away the "source code", so to speak, of it's top-of-the line technologies - why would any nation give away it's technology edge? But India would get easier access to the use of those technologies - and while I freely admit that I have no military expertise, I have to believe that for all it's cost overruns and delays the F-35 is likely to end up a better and more cost-effective solution than the Russian PAK-FA for India's purposes.