By Our Special Correspondent
India on Wednesday expressed its "concerns" over the "lifestyle package" approved by the United States for the Pakistan Air Force's (PAF) US-made F-16 fighter jets. In a statement, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said, "Rajnath Singh conveyed India's concerns over the US decision to provide a sustainment package to Pakistan's F-16 fleet."
The MoD said Rajnath Singh and his US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had a "warm and fruitful telephonic conversation", adding that "they reviewed the multi-faceted India-US defense cooperation and reaffirmed mutual commitment to further strengthening military-to-military ties."
According to the US State Department, the proposed package will enable Pakistan to counter current and future counter-terrorism threats by maintaining its F-16 fleet. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) worth $450 million worth of hardware, software and components for the F-16 fighter jet program with Pakistan was approved on September 8 under this package.
The official Pentagon version on the support package for Pakistan reads: “It will sustain Islamabad's ability to counter current and future counterterrorism threats by maintaining its F-16 fleet, as well as supporting American foreign policy and national security objectives by allowing interoperability in ongoing counterterrorism Efforts and future contingencies.
PAFs F-16 fighter jets to violate Indian airspace in response to an Indian airstrike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed training center in Balakot, Pakistan on 27 February 2019.
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