India raises concern over U.S. support for Pakistan’s F-16 jets

Why in the News

India is deepening a ten-year defence framework with the United States (U.S.), but Washington also backs the F-16 fighter fleet of Pakistan, which India holds responsible for cross-border terrorism. The Defence Minister raised this concern with the U.S. Secretary of War at the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), the defence forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its partners, in Cebu, Philippines.

What is the India-U.S. Major Defence Partnership?

1. What it is: The Major Defence Partnership is the U.S. status for India as a close defence partner. It works like preferred customer status for advanced military technology.
2. Ten-year framework: The two Ministers reviewed the ten-year India-U.S. Defence Framework, which sets the agenda for the partnership.
3. Areas reviewed: The meeting reviewed implementation of the foundational security agreements, and ways to improve operational readiness, technology sharing and defence industrial integration, meaning closer links between the two arms industries.
4. Wider agenda: The Ministers discussed stronger maritime security cooperation, military-to-military exchanges and resilient defence supply chains, so that military equipment keeps flowing in a crisis.
5. The takeaway: The partnership now reaches into India’s arms production and supply chains, so U.S. arms decisions for Pakistan bear directly on it.

What concern did India raise?

1. F-16 support package: The Defence Minister raised India’s concern over Washington’s support package for Pakistan’s F-16 fighter aircraft.
2. Third-country risk: He warned that advanced military technology transferred to Pakistan could reach a third country. That raises wider proliferation concerns, meaning the spread of weapons technology, and affects regional security.
3. Zero tolerance: He called for a zero-tolerance approach towards countries that support, train or finance terrorist organisations.
4. U.S. assurance: The U.S. Secretary of War reaffirmed support to India in combating cross-border terrorism. The Defence Minister appreciated consistent U.S. support in that fight.

What else did India pursue at the meeting?

1. Japan review: The Defence Minister held separate talks with the Japanese Defence Minister. They reviewed progress in defence cooperation since their meeting in August.
2. Naval shipbuilding: India and Japan explored joint development in naval shipbuilding and ship design.

Challenges

1. Arms to an adversary: U.S. support keeps flying an F-16 fleet that Pakistan used against India in the February 2019 air clash after India’s Balakot air strike.
2. Hyphenation: U.S. engagement often treats India and Pakistan as two equal sides of one problem. Eg. The U.S. President claimed he stopped Operation Sindoor, India’s military operation against Pakistan.
3. Sanctions shadow: U.S. sanctions law can penalise India’s Russian arms purchases. Eg. The Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, 2017 hangs over India’s S-400 air defence deal with Russia.
4. Divergent priorities: India’s focus on Pakistan and China does not always match U.S. strategic priorities in the region.

Way Forward

1. End-use limits: India should press the U.S. to bind any F-16 support for Pakistan to strict end-use monitoring.
2. Co-development: India and the U.S. should pursue co-production and co-development of defence technologies such as surveillance systems and drones.
3. Security of supply: India and the U.S. should sign long-term Security of Supply pacts, committing each to keep defence supplies flowing, so technology transfers survive political shifts.

Conclusion

India’s defence partnership with the U.S. is deepening even as Washington keeps arming the neighbour India blames for cross-border terrorism. Whether U.S. support for Pakistan’s F-16s comes with enforceable end-use limits will test what the partnership is worth to India.

Back2Basics: Foundational agreements

1. What they are: Four foundational agreements let the Indian and U.S. militaries work together seamlessly, sharing information, logistics and secure communications.
2. Information security (2002): The General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) protects classified military information the two sides share.
3. Logistics (2016): The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) lets each military use the other’s facilities for fuel, supplies and repairs.
4. Communications and mapping (2018, 2020): The Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) enables encrypted links. The Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) shares geospatial intelligence.

Matching Previous Year Question

“[2016, GS2, 12 marks] Increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in India and growing interference in the internal affairs of several member-states by Pakistan are not conducive for the future of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation). Explain with suitable examples.”