The United States has approved a USD 686 million package to modernise and support Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jet fleet, a move that has raised strong concern in India given Islamabad’s long history of misusing American military equipment against New Delhi. The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) informed Congress that the package will cover technical support, mission equipment, communications upgrades and sustainment for Pakistan’s F-16s, which Washington continues to describe as essential for counterterrorism operations.

For India, this argument has never been convincing. Pakistan’s F-16s have repeatedly been used against India, most notably during the 2019 Balakot crisis. New Delhi sees the latest American approval as yet another attempt to bolster Pakistan’s combat capabilities

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