F-16 sales to Pakistan problematic for India

The US claims the proposed sale to Pakistan does not include any new capabilities, weapons, or munitions, but it would be hard for New Delhi to digest such claims and remain complacent

In a significant development, the United States Defense Security Cooperation Agency has recently notified possible Foreign Military Sales, worth $450 million for engine, electronic warfare and other hardware and software upgrades and spares for Pakistan's F-16s. Will it affect adversely the fast-deepening India-US defence and security cooperation today?

Observers say the US decision is highly problematic for India. Like the previous administrations in Washington, the current one under President Joe Biden seeks to give the impression to New Delhi that the USA's defence partnership with Pakistan is aimed just at winning its global war on terror. The US today is interested in the use of F-16s by Pakistan only for counter-terrorism purposes along the Af-Pak border. Washington officials claim the proposed sale to Pakistan does not include any new capabilities, weapons, or munitions. The US just upgrades and replenishes periodically the F-16s it has supplied to Pakistan.

It would, however, be hard for New Delhi to digest such claims and remain complacent in defence matters. The contemporary history bears out Islamabad has been notorious for its duplicity in its approach towards terror groups operating from its territory. It has always used the US war on terror only to extract from Washington such systems and equipment as would help it target India.

The fleet of F-16 has been part of the Pakistan Air Force since the early 1980s. Pakistan has always used the US-supplied defence systems against India only. The F-16s in its arsenals have been no exception. In February 2019, after the Indian Air Force launched its air strike on Balakot, Pakistan came to deploy its F-16s to target Indian military bases close to the Line of Control.

During their meetings with US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu in Delhi last week, our officials did well to raise objections to the US plan for FMS to Pakistan. The Biden presidency must address New Delhi's concerns. It must help generate an atmosphere in which relations between the world's two leading democracies can cooperate better for the development of the contemporary humanity. Washington must see to it that it does not come to equip Islamabad with any systems that might be used against India.

Meanwhile, New Delhi must proceed with its ongoing defence modernisation programme and maintain its superiority over Islamabad.

(Jagdish N. Singh is a senior journalist based in New Delhi. He is also Senior Distinguished Fellow at the Gatestone Institute, New York)

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of OneIndia and OneIndia does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.