Washington: The US today (Jun 16, 2004) designated Pakistan with "major non-NATO ally" status a move which would boost security cooperation and make certain Arms exports easy.

In a memorandum addressed to the Secretary of State, Bush said, "Consistent with the authority vested in me by section 517 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (the "Act"), I hereby designate the Islamic Republic of Pakistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally of the United States for the purposes of the Act and the Arms Export Control Act."

"You are authorized and directed to publish this determination in the Federal Register," Bush said in a statement released by the White House. The decision, announced as Bush made a rally-the-troops speech on Iraq here, means Pakistan is joining an exclusive club of countries that enjoy a privileged security relationship with the US.

Major non-NATO allies are eligible for priority delivery of Defence material and the purchase, for instance of depleted uranium anti-tank rounds.

Secretary of State Colin Powell announced the decision of the Administration when he visited Pakistan in March after first visiting India.

Unhappy over the US decision, India had said the move had "significant implications" for Indo-US relations and expressed disappointment on being kept in the dark about it.