In a move that has drawn attention amid heightened tensions in South Asia, the United States has approved a $130 million defense deal with India.
The deal, which includes maritime vision software and training, was announced by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on Monday.
The US government maintains that the defense deal, which is primarily aimed at enhancing India’s maritime capabilities, will not disrupt the regional military balance.
According to US officials, the deal is expected to contribute to the stabilization of South Asia, a region marred by long-standing political and territorial disputes between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan.
Despite assurances from Washington, the deal has raised concerns in Pakistan, which has recently expressed dissatisfaction over India’s provocative actions. Following the deadly attack on local tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22, tensions between the two countries have escalated.
India’s subsequent measures, such as suspending the Indus Water Treaty and expelling diplomatic staff, have further strained relations.
In response to these developments, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reached out to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. During their telephonic conversation, Prime Minister Sharif conveyed Pakistan’s concerns about India’s inflammatory actions, urging the US to exert pressure on New Delhi to de-escalate the situation.
PM Sharif emphasised that Pakistan had been at the forefront of the global war on terrorism, noting the sacrifice of over 90,000 lives and an economic loss of more than $152 billion.
Sharif also condemned India’s provocative stance, attributing it to an attempt to divert attention from Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to tackle terrorism. He pointed to militant organizations operating from Afghan soil, including the Islamic State Khorasan (ISKP) and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), as significant threats to regional stability.
Pakistan’s National Security Committee has adopted a robust diplomatic approach in response to India’s recent actions. In addition to limiting India’s diplomatic staff to 30 members, the committee reiterated Pakistan’s stance on the importance of the Indus Water Treaty. Any disruption in water flow, it warned, would be considered an act of war.
The tensions between the two nuclear neighbors have sparked international concern, with global bodies, including the UN, urging both countries to take immediate steps to reduce the risk of further escalation.
