Can’t monitor military aid to Pak: US to India

However,Mullen,who met Defence Minister A K Antony and Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee Air Chief Marshal P V Naik virtually rejected an Indian demand for a monitoring mechanism on the same.

Sources said that in his meeting with Mullen,Antony expressed concerns that the military aid being given to Pakistan could be used against India and is “disproportionate” to the terror threat the country faces. Antony also asked the US to constitute a “monitoring mechanism” to ensure that the estimated figure of over $1.5 billion is not used for other purposes. He is also expected to take up the matter with the US administration during his visit to the nation in September this year.

However,Mullen said that the weapons being given to Pakistan will not create an imbalance in the region and are being used for the fight against terror groups on the Afghan border. On whether a monitoring mechanism would be established,Mullen said,”the relationship and understanding that we have (with Pakistan) will provide an understanding (of) where the systems are being used.”

Mullen said increasing military assistance is an indication of the level of trust that Washington has in Islamabad. India’s concerns came after the US last year approved a $7.5 billion aid package for Pakistan that also supports a $400 million annual package to upgrade Pakistani military under the ‘Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund’.