The Birds, Bees and F-16's

The F-16 Block 52 is a formidable aircraft. With its AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) Radar, BVR capability and advanced ECM package, it can track and destroy an aircraft at 40+ kilometres. Until now, Pakistan never had these aircraft, instead flying the older Block 10/15 versions.

The Bush Administration has decided to supply Pakistan these aircraft so that they can combat terrorism. Total codswallop, of course. These aircraft cant be used against small groups of people hiding in the mountains. They can be used to successfully intrude the airspace of a much larger neighbour in the East. This risk was always present, however, since Pakistan received their first F-16's in the 1980's.

How does this sale change anything?
Does it change the strategic balance? No.
Does it give Pakistan a decisive edge against India in Air-to-Air operations? No. The Indian Mirage-2000's, Su-30 ML/MKI's, MiG-29's and MiG-21 UPG's are more then enough to nullify this little addition. Not to mention the fact that India retains a 3:1 ratio in terms if sheer numbers. Thus, we can both outfly and outperform the PAF in any scenario.

So why complain? Thats easy. It gives Pakistan 24 more hard points from which to launch a nuclear strike. It also makes them a more credible threat in any future combat scenario. The number-crunchers at the IAF thinks that this will increase the PAF's combat capability by 300%.

But we already knew that. The real question is why not complain?
This is more complicated, and will require a re-structuring of the Indian mindset. Many can see only one side of the equation - the supply of aircraft to the PAF. The other half is harder to clarify. The US has also offered to give India these aircraft. This means nothing, of course. Logistics and political issues apart, you just dont fly an aircraft your enemy has over 20 years experience with. Instead, we must try and look past the stick and see the carrot.
To Pakistan, the US offered the F-16, an outdated aircraft that, though formidable, has seen its time. It offered India the same aircraft, along with nuclear (or newkyular, for those who appreciate Bushisms) technology, trade agreements and Space cooperation. In short, the US wants to take the relationship between it and India to a new plane, one transcending the India-Pakistan equation, and one that transcends the NSSP (Next Steps Strategic Partnership) agreements.

Many in India are suspicious. How can the US try and mollify us after just selling combat aircraft to our arch enemy? Remember that restructuring we spoke about? Many Indians still seem tied to our Cold War past, seeing Russia as the eternal friend and the US as the hegemonistic enemy. This must change. The world isnt the same as it was 3 decades ago, and the Indian people need to realise that. Through trade and economic cooperation, India will grow to super-power status sooner rather than later. Working with the world's largest economy will help us do just that. What India has been offered here, is to let its strategic competitor feel safe, and as a counter-balance to grow into a powerhouse that rival all but China, Russia and the US.

Though I dislike the current Indian government, the UPA, I must admire the way they have given a mature politcal response by accepting the sale and by continuing to cooperate at higher levels with the US. This is the path India needs to follow to achieve the superpower postition it so dearly covets, and so rightly deserves.

So let us not forget the intricacies of politics. The world does not end just because of 24 F-16's. It can however, get a lot more dangerous if one fails to fully appreciate the delicacies of international relations and starts to view a potential ally as a sworn enemy.

-Mrinal Sharma