New Delhi: India reacted sharply after the US approved the maintenance program of the US $ 450 million F-16 fighter jet fleet to Pakistan. India has also lodged a protest with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin after sending a strong message to the US Assistant Secretary of State on the F-16 package. After overturning Donald Trump’s decision not to provide military aid to Pakistan, the defense minister told Washington on Wednesday that it should stick to the policy of not providing military aid to Islamabad.
Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan was serious about the growing influence of America in Pakistan during his time. As soon as he left power, the Shahbaz government once again started serving the interests of America in the region. Providing IMF packages and aid packages in times of floods to this Islamic country facing a financial crisis are being considered an important step toward improving relations between the two countries. At the same time, the US feared that if the maintenance package was not given to Pakistan’s F-16 fleet in time, it might share the design of the aircraft with China.
US aid in Afghanistan
According to a report published in The Diplomat, Pakistan’s military shared information about the whereabouts of Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri with the US military. After this intelligence input, America killed its old enemy in the action of the drone attack. Pakistan’s Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum’s visit to Washington in May, ahead of Zawahiri’s death, is also being seen as a sign of growing cooperation in the region between the two countries. America’s defense agency DSCA has also given the example of cooperation of both the countries in the old anti-terror programs with Pakistan during the deal. Pakistan’s geopolitical location in Asia makes it important to the US. At the same time, its proximity to China also bothers America a lot.
America said the F-16 package will not disturb the military balance
The country’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency released the F-16 package for Pakistan, saying the proposed sale of equipment and support would not alter the basic military balance of the region. America had already understood this by assessing the possible opposition of India. In the press release, the agency further said that the proposed deal does not include any new capabilities, weapons, or munitions.
