PUNE, 24 June 2003 — India is not worried about the sale of US F-16 fighter planes to Pakistan, as the Russian-built Sukhoi fighter planes in the Indian Air Force fleet are an equal match, Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes told Arab News.
Fernandes said that there was no move by the Bush administration to sell the F-16s to Pakistan. But he said if the Americans decide to provide the F-16s to Pakistan, that would have no effect on India’s relations with the US.
“The entire Pakistani armory is completely loaded with US products. Nothing has changed for us, even after Sept. 11,” he added. The re-sale of the F-16s was entirely a business matter between the US and Pakistan. The defense minister said he had complete confidence in the strike potential of the Indian Air Force.
