Rajnath Singh raises concern over US support for Pakistan's F-16 fighter fleet with Hegseth

New Delhi: India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has raised objections to the modernisation package for the Pakistan Air Force's (PAF) F-16 fleet in a meeting with his US counterpart Pete Hegseth. Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' meeting in Cebu, Philippines. During the meeting, he raised objections to US support for the upgrade and maintenance of Pakistan's F-16 fighter jets.

686 million arms deal with Pakistan

• The Trump administration approved a major arms deal in December 2025 to provide advanced technology and maintenance support for the Pakistan Air Force's fleet of US F-16 fighter jets.
• The $686 million arms deal includes F-16 avionics upgrades, cryptographic systems, software and maintenance support.
• The US gave this approval just 7 months after the fierce military clash between India and Pakistan in May 2025.

Why is India angry with US military aid to Pakistan?

Although the US has insisted that this move will not alter the military balance in the region, India has expressed concern about US military aid packages. India says that military aid to Pakistan cannot be viewed separately from its impact on regional security. New Delhi believes that these packages could also be used against India.

According to India's security assessment, Pakistan has used US-supplied F-16 fighter jets against India, including in the air skirmish following the Balakot airstrike in 2019.

Review of India-US Defence Cooperation

The meeting between Rajnath Singh and Hegseth reviewed the defense partnership between India and the United States, as well as progress under the 10-year defense framework signed in 2025. The two defense ministers also discussed the threat of terrorism. Rajnath Singh emphasized the need to adopt a zero-tolerance policy against countries that support, train, and fund terrorist organizations.