Vicky19
25th March 2005, 23:18
The US government has approved the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan, Bush administration officials say.
US President George W Bush called Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to tell him about the decision.
Indian government spokesman Sanjay Baru said Mr Singh had expressed "great disappointment", saying the move would exacerbate India's security concerns.
The move marks a change in US policy, which blocked the sale in 1990 over Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme.
A US official denied the sale would affect the regional balance of power.
"[The F-16s] are vital to Pakistan's security as President Musharraf prosecutes the war on terror," the administration official said.
The official referred to President Musharraf's "strategic decision on 14 September, 2001, to stand with the United States", following the attacks in New York and Washington.
The BBC's James Coomarasamy in Washington says the US administration argues its new long-term commitment to Pakistan is consistent with the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission that investigated the attacks in the US.
But whatever the reasons for this change of US policy, our correspondent says, it was always bound to ruffle diplomatic feathers.
Military balance
Pakistan struck a deal with the US for the fighter planes in the late 1980s, but Washington blocked the sale in 1990 as a sanction against Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme.
The revived sale will form part of a five-year, $3bn assistance programme.
Another senior US official told AFP news agency that the F-16 numbers would be "relatively small" but there would be "no set limit on what the United States is going to be willing to sell to Pakistan".
Pakistan's information minister, Sheikh Ahmed Rashid, confirmed that Pakistan would be getting F-16s.
"We welcome it. This was our defence requirement. This shows the good relations between Pakistan and the United States," Mr Ahmed said.
Correspondents say that the Indian government fears the arms deal will disturb the military balance between the long-time rivals and affect the current peace dialogue.
"The prime minister expressed India's great disappointment at the decision which could have negative consequences for India's security environment," Mr Singh's spokesman, Mr Baru, said.
Brink of war
India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence in 1947, two of them over the disputed region of Kashmir.
The nations came to the brink of another war in 2002 but are now engaged in a two-year thaw that has seen improved relations.
The United States signed a separate $1.3bn arms package with Pakistan last year.
The move comes after a visit to the region by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who discussed the F-16 issue with Indian and Pakistani officials.
The F-16 is built by Lockheed Martin and is one of the world's most successful fighter aircraft.
About 4,500 are in commission with air forces around the world.
US President George W Bush called Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to tell him about the decision.
Indian government spokesman Sanjay Baru said Mr Singh had expressed "great disappointment", saying the move would exacerbate India's security concerns.
The move marks a change in US policy, which blocked the sale in 1990 over Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme.
A US official denied the sale would affect the regional balance of power.
"[The F-16s] are vital to Pakistan's security as President Musharraf prosecutes the war on terror," the administration official said.
The official referred to President Musharraf's "strategic decision on 14 September, 2001, to stand with the United States", following the attacks in New York and Washington.
The BBC's James Coomarasamy in Washington says the US administration argues its new long-term commitment to Pakistan is consistent with the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission that investigated the attacks in the US.
But whatever the reasons for this change of US policy, our correspondent says, it was always bound to ruffle diplomatic feathers.
Military balance
Pakistan struck a deal with the US for the fighter planes in the late 1980s, but Washington blocked the sale in 1990 as a sanction against Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme.
The revived sale will form part of a five-year, $3bn assistance programme.
Another senior US official told AFP news agency that the F-16 numbers would be "relatively small" but there would be "no set limit on what the United States is going to be willing to sell to Pakistan".
Pakistan's information minister, Sheikh Ahmed Rashid, confirmed that Pakistan would be getting F-16s.
"We welcome it. This was our defence requirement. This shows the good relations between Pakistan and the United States," Mr Ahmed said.
Correspondents say that the Indian government fears the arms deal will disturb the military balance between the long-time rivals and affect the current peace dialogue.
"The prime minister expressed India's great disappointment at the decision which could have negative consequences for India's security environment," Mr Singh's spokesman, Mr Baru, said.
Brink of war
India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence in 1947, two of them over the disputed region of Kashmir.
The nations came to the brink of another war in 2002 but are now engaged in a two-year thaw that has seen improved relations.
The United States signed a separate $1.3bn arms package with Pakistan last year.
The move comes after a visit to the region by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who discussed the F-16 issue with Indian and Pakistani officials.
The F-16 is built by Lockheed Martin and is one of the world's most successful fighter aircraft.
About 4,500 are in commission with air forces around the world.