New Delhi: The US aid to India is only about one-sixth of the amount earmarked for Pakistan and its military aid for Islamabad is $ 3.56 million from 2002 to 2004, the Lok Sabha was informed on March 12.

Government has conveyed to the US that it must remain conscious of India's security interests and Indo-US relations in deciding on the level of military aid or sale of Defence equipment to Pakistan, Minister of State for External Affairs Vinod Khanna said in a written reply.

He, however, said the current level of US military aid to Pakistan will not have any adverse impact on India's Defence preparedness.

According to available data, actual and proposed US aid for Pakistan for fiscal 2002, 2003 and 2004 amounts to $ 1.74 billion against an aggregated amount of $ 324 million for India, Khanna said.

He said Pakistan receives US military aid under the Foreign Military Financing programme, International Military Education and Training programme and assistance for peacekeeping operations.

India-US merchandise trade in 2002 was $ 15.9 billion and bilateral trade in Information Technology and related services was estimated to be $ 8.8 billion in the last year, Khanna said.

At least 369 persons claiming to be Indian citizens are under detention in Ukraine after being arrested for entering the country illegally, he said.

PTI