Govt hints at readiness to buy US weapons, aircraft

Two days after the US agreed to supply F-16 fighter aircraft to Pakistan and offered to sell the advanced F-18s to India as a conciliatory move, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee indicated that the government would consider purchasing sophisticated fighter aircraft and weapons from US companies.

On Friday night, US President George W Bush in a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had informed him of the US decision to sell the F-16s to Pakistan a long-standing demand from Islamabad.

The aircraft, available only to NATO countries, has the capability to carry nuclear warheads and will allow Pakistan Air Force deep penetration into Indian airspace.

While the Singh reportedly expressed his unhappiness over the decision, Bush, apparently, assured him that India would be allowed the access US aerospace companies and buy advanced F-18s, which were also only available to NATO countries.

Mukherjee admitted that "recently, US companies, which manufacture fighter aircraft and weapons, are willing to work with us and they have submitted some proposals to us."

These may not necessarily be the F-16s or F-18s. "Naturally, we will discuss them (proposals) and if military aircraft and other weapons, needed for our national interest, are available from the US , we will certainly consider them," he said.

Meanwhile, US reactions to the their government's decision to sell F-16s to Pakistan were mixed. Former Senator Larry Pressler, who was instrumental in halting supply of nuclear-capable F-16 fighters to Pakistan, today dubbed as "unwise" the Washington's decision to resume the delivery of the warplanes.

"I am opposed to the decision. It is an unwise decision," Pressler said while reacting to the Bush administration's decision. "F-16 is a nuclear-delivery device. It's supply will increase tensions in that part of the world," he said.

Pakistan had purchased 111 F-16 aircraft in 1980s and received 40 planes between 1983 and 1987. Three years later, the supplies were stopped because of the Pressler Amendment, a legislation passed by the US Congress imposing sanctions on Pakistan because of its surreptitious nuclear programme.

Islamabad, which had made the advance payment for the consignment, had since been pressing the successive US administration to either supply rest of the planes or return $638 million it had paid.

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf 's "co-operative attitude" post -September 11, 2001, in the US war against terror finally tipped the scales in its favour, but not before India too was given access to advance nuclear device carrying jets.