Indo-Pak War | ‘Concerning, inconsistent’: How US schooled Pakistan after India shot down a Pakistani F-16 after 2019 Balakot strike
Published: May 10, 2025, 04:17 IST | Updated: May 10, 2025, 04:17 IST
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India news: In 2019, during the aerial engagement over Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Air Force shot down one of the F-16s, a move that brought global focus to the terms of the original US-Pakistan fighter jet agreement.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have once again flared, with drones sighted for the second straight day in Jammu, Samba and Pathankot. Intermittent blasts were also heard on Friday (9 May).
This brings a key moment from 2019 into the spotlight when the United States schooled Pakistan over its unauthorised use of F-16 fighter jets during an air skirmish with India.
In February 2019, days after the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel, the Indian Air Force carried out airstrikes on Jaish-e-Mohammad training camps in Balakot, deep inside Pakistani territory.
In retaliation, Pakistan deployed F-16 jets against India. During the aerial engagement over Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Air Force shot down one of the F-16s, a move that brought global focus to the terms of the original US-Pakistan fighter jet agreement.
Months later, in August 2019, then US Undersecretary of State Andrea Thompson sent a formal letter to Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, as per a US & World News report in 2019. The letter, though diplomatic in tone, voiced clear disapproval of Pakistan’s actions. It marked the first time the US officially acknowledged concerns over Pakistan’s violation of the F-16 agreement.
The letter did not directly refer to the February dogfight, but a US source told US News that the reprimand was a response to the misuse of American-made jets and missiles during the clash with India.
Thompson pointed out that Pakistan had moved the F-16 jets and US-made AMRAAM missiles to forward operating bases not authorised under the original sale agreement. She warned this could allow sensitive American technology to fall into the wrong hands and "undermine our shared security platforms and infrastructures."
“While we understand from you that these aircraft movements were done in support of national defence objectives,” she wrote, “the US government considers the relocation of aircraft to non-US government authorised bases concerning and inconsistent with the F-16 Letter of Offer and Acceptance.”
Thompson also raised concerns over Pakistan’s refusal to allow regular US inspections of the bases where F-16s were being operated. According to her, the Office of Defence Representative, Pakistan had not been allowed to assess the security vulnerabilities on Pakistani bases for four years.
The letter criticised Pakistan for failing to provide the required level of access, which was essential to ensure US technology was not diverted or misused.
Though the US State Department avoided public statements on the matter, a spokesperson acknowledged at the time that reports of Pakistan’s misuse of F-16s were being “followed very closely.” An official, speaking anonymously, noted that the US does not publicly comment on the contents of defence agreements or related communications.
Still, the letter served as a clear signal to Islamabad that its use of F-16s against India had crossed a line, one with potential diplomatic consequences.
As sirens blare again in Jammu and fresh drone sightings cause concern, the 2019 F-16 incident is a strong reminder of Pakistan’s past violations and India’s firm military response. Despite Pakistan’s attempts to challenge Indian airspace, the global reaction has consistently reflected trust in India's restraint and capability, especially when provoked by acts of terror.