F-16 package to Pakistan: US responds to Indian foreign minister Jaishankar’s critical remarks

Responding to Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar’s criticism against the US providing a multimillion-dollar security package to Pakistan, the Biden administration defended its decision, saying Washington doesn’t view its ties with New Delhiand Islamabad "in relation to one another”.

"We don't view our relationship with Pakistan... our relationship with India... in relation to one another... both partners of ours with different points of emphasis...," state department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters.

"We look to both as partners, because we do have in many cases shared values. We do have in many cases shared interests. And the relationship we have with India stands on its own. The relationship we have with Pakistan stands on its own," he said.

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Jaishankar on Sunday had lashed out at the US for providing a $450 million package to Pakistan for technical and logistics services for follow-on support of F-16 fighter jet fleets.

The F-16 jets were first provided by the US to Pakistan as a reward for its assistance in the first Afghan war.

The decision to provide military aid to Pakistan incensed India as the F-16 was used against Indian warplanes following the 2019 Balakot air strikes — a bombing raid conducted by Indian Air Force in Pakistan-occupied territory Balakot against terrorist training camps.

Speaking at a community event in Washington, DC, Jaishankar referred to an argument made by the US that the F-16 sustenance package is to fight terrorism.

“Everybody knows where and against whom F-16 fighter jets are used. You're not fooling anybody by saying these things."

“Very honestly, it is a relationship that has ended up serving neither Pakistan nor serving American interests well... for the US to reflect what the merits of the relationship [are] and what they get by keeping it sort of continuing," Jaishankar had said.

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