The United States regards arms sales as an important foreign policy, and uses arms sales to win over other countries, and also likes to use supply cuts to put pressure on allies. Pakistan is unwilling to be obedient. The United States has interrupted the maintenance of Pakistani military F-16 fighter since 2018. In early 2022, after the J-10CE was delivered, the United States discovered that China-Pakistan relations had been strengthened, which affected the United States' influence in Pakistan. For this reason, the United States wanted to undermine China-Pakistan cooperation, so naturally it could not just speak, but also took action to resume upgraded services for Pakistan's F-16. It was announced in September that the F-16 continued security services and related equipment will be sold to Pakistan at an estimated price of US$450 million. It seems that the originally stiff US-Pakistan relations have a chance to improve, but Pakistan and India have tense relations. Sending arms at this time is tantamount to instigating conflicts between the two sides.
Indians are very dissatisfied with the F-16 upgrade
If you analyze it again, after Pakistan has J-10, the United States found that the impact on Pakistan has decreased. In addition, India is disobedient, so the United States came to muddle the waters again, provoking conflicts between Pakistan and India and putting pressure on India. Pakistan was encouraged, but India was dissatisfied and had expressed "serious opposition" to the US plan. Since its founding, India has regarded Pakistan as its "number one opponent". The two sides have fought many times and formed a great hatred. Naturally, they are dissatisfied with the United States helping to upgrade the F-16. Although the US side said that the transaction will assist Pakistan in launching a counter-terrorism campaign, it will not change the regional military balance, nor will it involve any new capabilities, weapons or ammunition, India has its own understanding and believes that this is the United States' strengthening Pakistan's military strength and is unfriendly to India.
Pakistan has changed its attitude after the J-10, and the direct impact of this matter is limited. Indian media Eurasian Times quoted former Indian military personnel as saying that Indian Air Force is not worried that the United States will sell F16 maintenance package to Pakistan, believing: "I don't think it will significantly change the balance of power, but it will definitely allow the Pakistani Air Force to maintain its deterrence ability to the Indian Air Force." From this perspective, India is not worried about the effect of the F-16 upgrade. It also maintains confidence in its own Rafale . The Eurasian Times claimed that the United States can't beat the Rafale even if it upgrades the F-16 to Pakistan. The Rafale fighter is a twin-engine 4.5th-generation fighter. The F-16 can only be regarded as the 4th-generation fighter. The Rafale will have an advantage when it meets.
Air power between India and Pakistan has changed again
From the Indian comments, India accused the United States of being messy and pointed out that the United States has always relied on Pakistan because Pakistan is the gateway to Afghanistan or Middle East and Central Asia, occupies an important position in geostrategic strategy, and this will not change. Of course, there are people. The United States resumed arms sales to Pakistan, and India was dissatisfied again. The United States was trying to win over India, but suddenly it went to win over India's archenemy Pakistan. What's going on? India naturally has to be dissatisfied, not targeting the transaction itself, but the nature of the United States. Is it friendly to India or hostility?
J-10C is positioned to fight gusts
India's general evaluation is that "in addition to stimulating value, it has little impact on the Pakistani Air Force. In terms of quantity and quality, the Indian Air Force's situation is much better," but in the relevant evaluation, it is found that it must be noted that J-10Ch and J-11 J-11 . The Pakistani Air Force has not only F16 equipment, but the proportion of Chinese-made fighter jets in its fleet is getting higher and higher, especially the J-10C. If compared, the Indian Air Force is more worried about the J-10C. In terms of performance, the J-10C and Rafale are both the 4.5th generation fighter jets, which are much more advanced than the existing F16 of the Pakistani army, especially the early models. In terms of technology, each has its own characteristics, and the gusts do not take any advantage, which hit India's quality advantage. Moreover, the J-10 is still in production, and Pakistan can be purchased gradually, without a quantity limit.
J-10C is delivered to Pakistan, which means a new era of China's fighter jet exports
Originally, Pakistan's J-10C, an advanced fighter jet, made India very uneasy. Now the United States has disrupted China-Pakistan cooperation, making India a fish that was affected by the city gates. If you analyze it, the United States is still damaging, and the United States has no intention of regional stability. It just wants to make the world in chaos. Fighting a war is the real purpose of the United States! If India is disobedient and provokes China, then the United States will instigate the India-Pakistan conflict. Anyway, it is just a war, no matter who it is.
But things are not what the United States imagines. India will not be easily controlled by the United States, and Pakistan will not become the American follower for a little profit. India and Pakistan cannot fight. What the United States is doing now may be a commercial speculation. Today, the United States is a big player in the arms market, but its international influence is being weakened.
