India raises concerns over ‘F-16 package to Pakistan’
Sources said Singh, who met Hegseth on the sidelines of the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in the Philippines, discussed regional and global security issues and reviewed the progress of the India-US Defence Framework.
They said Singh cautioned that the transfer of sensitive technology to Pakistan was fraught with risks, including the possibility of weapons-related know-how leaking to third nations. The recent clearances to sell F-16 fighter jet sustainment packages to Pakistan were also raised during the meeting.
Officials said both sides noted the robust progress of their foundational security agreements and explored pathways to accelerate operational readiness, technology sharing and defence industrial integration.
The issue of terrorism also figured prominently during the talks, with officials saying that both sides reiterated their joint resolve to crack down on terrorist organisations and their supporters. “The defence minister stressed that the global community must maintain an uncompromising, zero-tolerance approach towards nations that support, train or fund terrorist organisations. Secretary Hegseth reaffirmed the United States’ unwavering solidarity and full support to India in its fight against cross-border terrorism,” officials said. They added that discussions focused on advancing military-to-military exchanges, augmenting maritime security collaboration and integrating robust defence supply chains to further deepen and expand ongoing collaboration in the defence industry.
Rajnath Singh also met other counterparts on the sidelines of the meeting, including Japan’s defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi.
