India seeks four strategic bombers from Russia

ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA ^ | July 14, 2016 | DMITRY GRIGORIEV

[sukhoi-30mki]

Actually, the only “real” advantage the Mi-26 offers is its lifting capacity. Russian equipment has suffered from poor reliability rates since the Soviet era and the Soviet collapse has only worsened it.

India operated a couple of Mi-26s from the 80s, but these are being replaced by CH-47s, so that should tell you something.

You could compare the Mi-26 with the big AN-124; it can lift pretty much anything, including its American rivals but its use is limited in the battlefield.

[spetznaz]

The simple answer is that the US has nothing equivalent to the TU-22 for sale, and chances are even if it did it would not sell it. By buying from Russia, India ends up with equipment that (i) are not available from the US and/or (ii) even if they were available would not be for sale. A good example of this are the nuclear submarines India got from Russia. The USN would never sell a SSN to any country (not even Australia, a country that could benefit from good SSNs), not even the older LA class subs. India gets a submarine that is very comparable with the Improved LA Class, and as the region does not have submarines equivalent to the Virginia/Seawolf classes, it means that India automatically gets an important leg up in the face of Chinese naval numbers.

So, the short answer is simply because the US either has nothing equivalent to sell, or when it does it is not willing to sell.