India expresses grave concern over US military aid to Pak

India has expressed grave concern over the recent US military assistance to Pakistan, and has taken up the matter with the Trump Administration, the MEA said on Thursday.

"India has taken up the matter with the US Ambassador here in Delhi (Kenneth Juster), as well as the government of the United States in Washington through our ambassador. We have expressed grave concern over the US military assistance to Pakistan," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a press briefing here.

Last week the Pentagon had informed the Congress of its decision to approve a military assistance package worth USD 125 million for "continued support" of the F-16 programme.

"The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Pakistan for Technical Security Team (TST) in continued support of the F-16 program for an estimated cost of $125 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on July 26, 2019," a release by Defence Security Cooperation Agency had read.

Kumar added that the US has told India that the proposed sale does not change the US policy of maintaining a freeze in military assistance to Pakistan.