New Delhi: India has expressed concern at the recent US decision to provide a $450 million “sustenance package” to Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jet fleet to help the country combat terrorism.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh conveyed this to Llyod Austin, the US Secretary of Defense over phone on Wednesday.
“Had a warm and productive telephonic conversation… we discussed growing convergence of strategic interests and enhanced defence and security cooperation,” Singh tweeted.
“We also discussed ways to strengthen technological and industrial collaboration and also explore cooperation in emerging and critical technologies,” the minister said.
Singh added he looked forward to continuing dialogue with Austin to further consolidate the India-Us partnership.
On September 8, the Joe Biden administration approved a $450 million F-16 fleet sustainment programme to Pakistan to help meet current and future counterterrorism threats. It was Washington’s first major security assistance to Islamabad in four years.
“Pakistan is an important partner in a number of regards, an important counterterrorism partner. And as part of our longstanding policy, we provide lifecycle maintenance and sustainment packages for US-origin platforms,” State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference on Tuesday.
“Pakistan’s F-16 programme is an important part of a broader US-Pakistan bilateral relationship, and this proposed sale will sustain Pakistan’s capability to meet current and future counterterrorism threats by maintaining the F-16 fleet,” Price added.
Stating this was a fleet that allows Pakistan to support counterterrorism operations, Price urged the country to take sustained action against all terrorist groups.
Included in the upgrade were US government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics services for follow-on support of Pakistan’s F-16 fleet.
It also included modifications and support of aircraft and engine hardware and software as well as repair and return of the jets and engine spares, classified and unclassified software and software support among others.
The deal, however, would not enhance “any new capabilities, weapons, or munitions” for the aircraft which is Pakistan Air Force’s main fighter.
In 2019, Pakistan had used the same aircraft to target India after the Balakot strike and used American supplied AIM-120 C-5 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile), to shoot down then Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman’s MiG 21 Bison, ThePrint reported last week.
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