Newsbag

The real reasons are contained in the notification which says the weapons will increase "the capabilities of the Pakistani navy and support its regional influence". The P-3Cs will ward off India’s naval fleet. As for the TOWs—the version sought by Pakistan has warheads designed to penetrate tanks with explosive reactive armour. (India is indtucting Russian T-90s with exactly that armour.) Will the Pakistanis spend the precious tows against terrorist mud huts or save them for another day, another front, ask defence analysts? And if the US decides to sell F-16s, Pakistan reportedly wants them fitted with air-to-air missiles and precision-guided bombs. Foreign secretary Shyam Saran raised India’s strong concerns at every meeting last week in Washington, even impressing upon US national security advisor Condoleezza Rice that the deal would create "instability" in the region, strengthen the hawks in Pakistan, adversely affect the delicate Indo-Pak peace process and also impact Indian public opinion. US officials responded saying they had taken India’s concerns "on board" and "deeply valued" the relationship with New Delhi. The arms deal doesn’t quite reflect that.