Saturday, March 26 2005 11:28 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone, founder of the US-India Caucus, has expressed "outrage" over the United States' decision to sell F-16 fighter planes to Pakistan.

"This decision by the Bush Administration, coupled with their continued policy of increased military assistance for Pakistan, has contributed to grave security concerns throughout South Asia. I am concerned that today's announcement will mean a step backward in US-India relations," Pallone said in reaction yesterday (Mar 25, 2005) to the clearing of the sale of about two-dozen nuclear-capable fighter planes to Islamabad.

Referring to the Bush Administration statement that it also plans to sell the jets to India, an apparent balancing act, Pallone warned that military sales to India and Pakistan must be kept separate.

"The Bush Administration is using the sale of fighter jets to India as a means to justify the sale to Pakistan, but this should not be an issue of military parity," Pallone said.

"This sale sends a grave symbolic message to the Government and people of India. We are slighting our relationship with India, a fellow democracy, to sell a Defence system to a neighbouring non-democratic nation, who has shown an unwillingness to normalise relations with India, has supported terrorist infiltration into Kashmir, and has supplied nuclear equipment to terrorist nations," he added.

Pallone wrote a letter to US President George W Bush in November to oppose the F-16 sale to Pakistan and co-signed a similar letter spearheaded by the India Caucus to the President earlier this week.