Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has conveyed India’s concerns over the United States’ continued support for Pakistan’s F-16 fighter aircraft fleet during talks with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in the Philippines.

During the meeting, Singh reviewed regional and global security developments with Hegseth and assessed progress under the India-US Defence Framework, a key pillar of the expanding strategic partnership between the two countries.

A major issue raised by the Indian side was the recent American clearance of sustainment and modernisation packages for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet. India expressed reservations about the transfer of sensitive military technology, warning that such assistance carries significant risks, including the possibility of weapons-related expertise and advanced technology reaching third countries.

Indian concerns are linked to Pakistan’s close military cooperation with China and to New Delhi’s longstanding position that military aid provided to Islamabad cannot be viewed separately from its broader security implications for the region.

The package, valued at approximately $686 million and originally notified by the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency, is designed to extend the operational life of Pakistan’s F-16 aircraft and includes avionics upgrades, cryptographic systems, software and sustainment support.

Officials said the two sides acknowledged the strong progress achieved under their foundational security agreements and examined ways to accelerate operational readiness, technology sharing and defence industrial integration. Discussions also covered military-to-military engagement, maritime security cooperation and efforts to strengthen defence supply chains.

Counter-terrorism featured prominently in the talks. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to combat terrorist organisations and those supporting them.

"The defence minister stressed that the global community must maintain an uncompromising, zero-tolerance approach towards nations that support, train or fund terrorist organisations. Secretary Hegseth reaffirmed the United States' unwavering solidarity and full support to India in its fight against cross-border terrorism," officials said.

The meeting also served as an opportunity to review progress under the 10-year India-US Defence Framework and the broader Major Defence Partnership, reflecting the deepening strategic and defence relationship between New Delhi and Washington.

On the sidelines of the gathering, Rajnath Singh held separate meetings with other defence leaders, including Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, as India continued consultations with key regional partners on security and Indo-Pacific issues.

Agencies