US set to offer USD 450 mn F-16 sustainment package deal to Pakistan regardless of India’s objection

Notwithstanding India’s considerations, the United States is all set to offer USD 450 million F-16 sustainment package deal to Pakistan as there was no objection to the deal from the Senate inside the necessary 30-day discover interval.

On September 7, the Department of State notified the US Congress – by way of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee – concerning the willpower of the Biden Administration to this defence sale for Pakistan below the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme.

“Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed,” Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator Robert Menendez instructed the Senate days afterward September 13.

Last month, the Biden administration reversed the choice of the earlier Trump administration to droop navy assist to Islamabad for offering secure havens for the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani community, and permitted the F-16 fighter jet fleet sustainment programme to Pakistan.

Within the stipulated 30 days, there was no objection from any of the 100 Senators to this proposed sale. With this, the United States is all set to offer the USD 450 million F-16 sustenance package deal to Pakistan.

India has questioned the rationale behind Washington’s USD 450 million F-16 safety help to Pakistan.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who was on a go to to the US final month, stated that America’s relationship with Pakistan has “not served” both of the 2 international locations and raised questions on the Biden administration’s approval of a USD 450-million sustenance package deal for the F-16 fleet.

The Biden administration has argued that Pakistan’s F-16 programme is a crucial a part of its broader ties with Pakistan. The proposed sale will maintain Pakistan’s functionality to fulfill present and future counterterrorism threats by sustaining its F-16 fleet, the US asserted at a number of ranges together with the Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the White House.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had additionally conveyed to US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin India’s considerations over Washington’s determination to offer the sustenance package deal for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet.

Singh apprised Austin about India’s considerations on Washington’s plans to offer the package deal to Pakistan throughout a telephonic dialog.

“I conveyed India’s concern at the recent US decision to provide sustenance package for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet,” the defence minister stated on Twitter on September 14.

The F-16 fleet permits Pakistan to assist counterterrorism operations and the US expects Pakistan to take sustained motion towards all terrorist teams, the US has stated.

Notably the US-Pakistan relationship has nose-dived this previous week, after US President Joe Biden described Pakistan as probably the most harmful nation on the planet due to it being with nuclear weapons and political instability.

Following the remarks, Pakistan summoned the American envoy in Islamabad to protest. The State Department has additionally summoned a Pakistani envoy in Washington DC.