Pakistan has expressed its “concerns” following U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that his administration is working toward supplying India with F-35 stealth fighter jets. This statement was made during Trump’s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.
According to local media, Pakistan warned that such a move could disrupt the regional military balance, threaten strategic stability, and hinder efforts to maintain lasting peace in South Asia.
Pakistan’s Response
Pakistan also urged the global community to avoid taking a “one-sided view that deviates from ground realities.”
During a routine press briefing on Friday, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) stated, “Pakistan is deeply concerned over the planned transfer of advanced military technologies to India. Such steps accentuate military imbalances in the region and undermine strategic stability.”
The official further added, “They remain unhelpful in achieving the objective of a durable peace in South Asia. We urge our international partners to take a holistic and objective view of issues of peace and security in South Asia and refrain from endorsing positions that are one-sided and deviate from ground reality.”
India-US Military Collaboration
On Thursday, during a joint press briefing with PM Modi, Trump highlighted plans to increase U.S. military sales to India, saying, “Starting this year, we will be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars. We are also paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F-35, Stealth fighters.”
When questioned about whether India had formally agreed to purchase the F-35s, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri clarified that no official process had commenced. He stated, “On military sales to India, there is a process by which platforms are acquired. In most cases, a request for proposal is floated. There are responses to those. They are evaluated. I don’t think with regard to the acquisition of an advanced aviation platform by India that process has started yet. So, this is currently something that’s at the stage of a proposal. But I don’t think the formal process in this regard has started yet.”
As part of their defence partnership, India and the U.S. have launched the Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA), a new initiative to boost industrial collaboration and advance autonomous defence technologies, particularly for underwater domain awareness.
Both countries also discussed expanding military cooperation across multiple sectors, including air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace. The agenda includes joint military training, operational coordination, and advanced technological integration.
A key highlight of the discussions was the upcoming “Tiger Triumph” tri-service exercise, which will be held in India and is expected to be larger in scale and complexity than previous editions.
Additionally, India and the U.S. agreed to enhance logistics, intelligence sharing, and force mobility to strengthen military presence and operational readiness in the Indo-Pacific region. These efforts are part of the “U.S.-India COMPACT for the 21st Century,” a collaboration launched by PM Modi and President Trump to deepen their military partnership, accelerate commerce, and enhance technological advancements.
Trump Announces Extradition of 26/11 Mumbai Attack Accused Tahawwur Rana
During the press briefing, Trump also confirmed the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, an accused conspirator in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. He stated,
“I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters (Tahawwur Rana) and one of the very evil people of the world, having to do with the horrific 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack to face justice in India. He is going back to India to face justice.”
Rana, a businessman of Pakistani origin, was convicted for his involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. His co-conspirator, David Headley, had previously pleaded guilty and later testified against him.
