India and Pakistan's F16s - what gives?

[MenInG]

Lot of noise coming from India with this F16 thing. Even US had to tell India to fly a kite etc

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The Foreign Office on Tuesday strongly urged India to refrain from commenting on the bilateral ties between the United States and Pakistan.

The FO’s statement comes as a response to India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s remarks in which he called for the US to “reflect on its ties with Islamabad”.

“The US is not fooling anyone by saying that the support for Pakistan Air Force’s F-16s was meant for counterterrorism,” Jaishankar said at a community event in Washington DC on Sunday, according to a Hindustan Times report.

“Very honestly, it is a relationship that has ended up serving neither Pakistan well nor serving American interests well. It is really for the US to reflect what the merits of the relationship [are] and what they get by keeping it sort of continuing,” the Indian minister was quoted as saying.

He also raised questions over the US State Department approving the potential sale of sustainment and related equipment to Pakistan in a deal valued at up to $450 million.

“At the end of the day, for someone to say I am doing it because it is for counterterrorism when you are talking of an aircraft of the capability of an F-16, everyone knows where they are deployed, what is its use, what is its capability. You are not fooling anybody by saying these things,” Jaishankar said.

“Jaishankar said that while countries make their choices based on their own interests, if he was to speak to an American policymaker, he would ask him to reflect on larger ties with Pakistan,” the report added.

In response to the Indian minister’s comments today, a statement from FO spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed’s office said that Pakistan had a “longstanding and broad-based relationship” with the United States, which had been vital in promoting peace, security, and stability in the region.

“In recent months Pakistan-US relations have become robust and multidimensional, further deepening people-to-people and bilateral ties. Both countries are constructively engaged to maintain regional peace and security,” he stated.

Ahmed called for India to “respect basic norms of inter-state relations”. “India also needs serious introspection of its diplomatic conduct,” the FO spokesperson added.

Separately, in a weekly briefing on Monday, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price while answering a question on Jaishankar’s comments said that the US didn’t view its relationship with Pakistan and India as in relation to one another.

“These are both partners of ours with different points of emphasis in each, and we look to both as partners because we do have in many cases shared values, we do have in many cases shared interests.”

He said that the US relationship with India stood on its own. “The relationship we have with Pakistan stands on its own.

“We also want to do everything we can to see to it that these neighbors have relations with one another that are as constructive as can be possible. And so that’s another point of emphasis,” Price added.

Previously, the Indian defence minister had also conveyed reservations over the F-16 deal with his counterpart in Washington.

“I conveyed India’s concern at the recent US decision to provide a sustenance package for Pakistans F-16 fleet,” Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had written on Twitter following what he called a “warm and productive” telephone conversation with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin.

Earlier this month, the US government formally announced arrangements to service Pakistan’s fleet of F-16 aircraft saying that it viewed Pakistan as “an important counterterrorism partner” and expected it to “take sustained action against all terrorist groups”.

DAWN

 

[MenInG]

The US on Tuesday defended its decision to approve a USD 450 million F-16 fighter jet fleet sustainment programme to Pakistan, saying it is "our obligation" to provide military equipment to ensure that the planes are maintained and sustained to bolster Islamabad's capability to deal with "clear" terrorist threats.
Early this month, the Biden administration reversed the decision of the previous Trump administration to suspend military aid to Islamabad for providing safe havens for the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network, and approved the F-16 fighter jet fleet sustainment programme to Pakistan.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is on a visit to the US, has questioned the rationale behind Washington's USD 450 million F-16 security assistance to Pakistan.

"This is a sustained program for F-16s that Pakistan has long had. These are not new, this is sustaining what they have. We've a responsibility and obligation to whomever we provide military equipment to, that it's maintained and sustained. That's our obligation," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in response to questions on the issue.

Speaking at a joint press appearance with Mr Jaishankar, Mr Blinken said that Pakistan's programme bolsters its capability to deal with terrorist threats emanating from Pakistan or from the region. "It's in no one's interest that those threats be able to go forward with impunity," he added.

"There are clear terrorism threats that continue to emanate from Pakistan itself, as well as from neighbouring countries and whether it is TTP that may be targeting Pakistan, whether it's ISIS or whether it's al-Qaeda, I think the threats are clear, well known and we all have an interest in making sure that we have the means to deal with them. And that's what this is about," he said.

Mr Blinken also said that the US always encourages its friends to resolve their differences, through diplomacy, through dialogue.

"That hasn't changed, it won't change," he said, a day after holding talks with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Relations between India and Pakistan have been strained over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

The ties between the two countries nosedived after India abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the State into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019.

Following India's decision, Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian envoy. Trade ties between Pakistan and India have largely been frozen since then.

NDTV

 

[Lonewarrior]

i thought only some indian people lives in lala land, but it seems that their govt also lives in some fairy tales . US is not friend of anyone . they have thre own self interests.

 

[ahsan17]

They inflate how far their country has come. You see it every day when they talk about some country as a miracle and how far ahead they are compared to everyone in their neighborhood. It's the same delusion at play here that makes them think they can pull these kinds of things off

 

[JaDed]

They inflate how far their country has come. You see it every day when they talk about some country as a miracle and how far ahead they are compared to everyone in their neighborhood. It's the same delusion at play here that makes them think they can pull these kinds of things off

Relax its for India's population no one outside South Asia even reads these news. Every country/religion sell itself to its subjects, this is how it's always been.

It's a standard objection almost every single time.

 

[RexRex]

Good remarks by Jaishankar.

The US wants India to be a major ally of it in Asia. This is a good test of whether they are really sincere in what they say or its just the usual platitudes from the yanks.

 

[Lonewarrior]

Good remarks by Jaishankar.

The US wants India to be a major ally of it in Asia. This is a good test of whether they are really sincere in what they say or its just the usual platitudes from the yanks.

india is just a Pawn .....

 

[Lonewarrior]

acording to some sources The F-16 is going to have a major update on his EW suit ..... Lol at India

 

[JaDed]

india is just a Pawn .....

And if that's the case India will not give in, what do you think Pak establishment would had done? Or What do you think they are doing?

 

[RexRex]

india is just a Pawn .....

Every ally of the US is its pawn. That is the benefit of being the world's sole superpower.

 

[Lonewarrior]

US wants China, india and Pakistan to be busy with each other ......

 

[PakLFC]

At least Pak is trying to free itself from the shackles of the USA.

 

[MenInG]

US State Secretary Antony Blinken on Tuesday defended military sales to Pakistan after criticism from growing US partner India, which considers itself the target of Islamabad’s F-16 planes.

Blinken met in the US capital with India’s foreign minister a day after separate talks with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

The US-Pakistan alliance, born out of the Cold War, has frayed over Islamabad’s relationship with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

The top US diplomat defended a $450 million F-16 deal for Pakistan approved earlier in September, saying the package was for the maintenance of Pakistan’s existing fleet.


The package does not include the sale of any new capabilities, weapons, or munitions and is aimed at the sustenance of Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 programme.

“These are not new planes, new systems, new weapons. It’s sustaining what they have,” the US state secretary told a news conference with his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

“Pakistan’s programme bolsters its capability to deal with terrorist threats emanating from Pakistan or from the region. It’s in no one’s interests that those threats be able to go forward with impunity, and so this capability that Pakistan has had can benefit all of us in dealing with terrorism,” Blinken said.

He added that the US had a “responsibility and an obligation to whomever we provide military equipment to make sure that it’s maintained and sustained. That’s our obligation”.

When asked to elaborate on the terrorism threats and the need for F-16s to counter them, Blinken said: “There are clear terrorism threats that continue to emanate from Pakistan itself as well as from neighbouring countries.

“And whether it is TTP (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan) that may be targeting Pakistan, whether it’s ISIS-Khorasan, whether it’s Al-Qaeda, I think the threats are clear, well-known, and we all have an interest in making sure that we have the means to deal with them. And that’s what this is about.”

To another question about his discussion with FM Bilawal on improving ties between Pakistan and India, his advice to Pakistan in this regard and the latter’s response, Blinken said it would not be appropriate to “characterise Pakistan’s response”.

“More broadly, we always encourage our friends to resolve their differences through diplomacy, through dialogue. That hasn’t changed. It won’t change. It would not be appropriate for me to characterise Pakistan’s response, just as I wouldn’t characterise our friend’s response in a similar conversation,” he said.

Jaishankar did not criticise Blinken in public but on Sunday, speaking at a reception for the Indian community in the United States, he said of the US position, “You’re not fooling anybody.”

“For someone to say, I’m doing this because it’s for counter-terrorism when you’re talking of an aircraft like the capability of the F-16, everybody knows where they are deployed,” he said.

“Very honestly, it’s a relationship that has neither ended up serving Pakistan well nor serving American interests well,” he said.

Previously, the Indian defence minister had also conveyed reservations over the F-16 deal with his counterpart in Washington.

“I conveyed India’s concern at the recent US decision to provide a sustenance package for Pakistans F-16 fleet,” Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had written on Twitter following what he called a “warm and productive” telephone conversation with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

DAWN

 

[Cricfan4eva]

I don't think India cares a lot about US is giving Pakistan F16s, It'd have been brought up during Modi-Obama era which is when Indo-US ties were probably the friendliest.

Point of saying it in an open forum was just to let US know that they can't pressure India into toeing their line/or being pressured into sanctioning Russian oil/gas, while US themselves play both sides. Two can play at this game.

US isn't happy India is buying cheap Russian oil/gas. Too bad, we aren't happy you're selling our military adversary F16s.

 

[rvd]

Jaishankar's reply was in the context of a question asked to him at an event for Indian Americans.

People are acting as if he directly and unprompted spoke out about this.

Of course India won't like weapons being sold to Pakistan as would Pakistan if weapons are sold to India. I remember the Pakistan Army Chief mentioning something about qualitative edge and the balance of power when asked about a transaction.

 

[daytrader]

US Senate sees nothing wrong in F-16 deal with Pakistan

WASHINGTON: The US State Department said on Thursday that the F-16 programme was an important part of the broader United States-Pakistan bilateral relationship, as the US Senate did not object to the proposed $450 million deal with Islamabad.

“The proposed sale will sustain Pakistan’s capability to meet current and future counterterrorism threats by maintaining its F-16 fleet,” a State Department official told Dawn. The proposed sale would also “ensure Pakistan retains interoperability with the US and partner forces in ongoing counterterrorism efforts and in preparation for future contingency operations,” the US official added.

The international media reported on Wednesday that the United States was all set to provide $450 million F-16 sustainment package to Pakistan as “there has been no objection to the deal from the Senate within the mandatory 30-day notice period”.

On Sept 7, the State Department notified the US Congress — through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — about the Biden Administration’s decision to offer this deal to Pakistan under 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 told the Senate days later on Sept 13.

Diplomatic sources in Washington told Dawn that Congress “does not need to take action to positively approve” a proposed deal. After the completion of the mandatory 30-day period, the deal would be considered approved, the sources said.

The next step is for Pakistan to conclude a Letter of Offer and Acceptance with the US Department of Defence. If and/or when an agreement is concluded, it usually results in the US Department of Defence issuing a contract several months later. The delivery timeline for the deal is determined by both governments.

DAWN

 

[Varun]

Both India and Pakistan will continue to be perma-third world countries while the West toys with one or the other.

Remember the time when both countries purchased fighters from Dassault to fight against each other? Useless.