New Delhi: India on Tuesday welcomed the US
withdrawing USD 800 million military aid to Pakistan and
termed the move as a "positive step".
"It is too early to comment for how how long this
embargo will continue. But it is a positive step, a welcome
step," Defence Ministry A K Antony told reporters here.
He was reacting to the US` decision to cut military
aid to Pakistan.
US had on Sunday suspended a USD 800 million military
aid to Pakistan.
The suspended aid, which is about one-third of the USD
2 billion in annual American security assistance to Pakistan,
includes about USD 300 million to reimburse Pakistan for some
of the costs of deploying more than 100,000 soldiers along the
Afghan border to combat terrorism.
It also comprises millions of dollars in training
assistance and military hardware.
Antony refused to reply to the queries on the
controversy over the age of Army Chief General V K Singh.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna had yesterday
welcomed the US decision, saying a heavy presence of arms
would have disturbed the equilibrium in the region.
"With reference to the special circumstances between
India and Pakistan and how India has consistently taken the
view that it is not desirable that this region had to be
heavily armed by the US which will upset the equilibrium in
the region itself. To that extent India welcomes this step,"
he had said.
PTI
