The United States (US) government has declined to share any information with India after the country informed American officials of the use of F-16 fighter jets by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in the dogfight with Indian Airr Force on Feb 27.
“Soon after we were informed by the Indian side about Pakistan using F-16 aircraft on February 27, we informed the Indians that we will not be sharing any information on the subject as it is a bilateral matter between the US and Pakistan,” a US official told The Sunday Express on condition of anonymity.
The official said there is an underlying logic to this position which the Indian side appreciates: “If a third country tomorrow wants information about the C130 or C17 or Apaches that the IAF uses, our answer would be the same. It is a bilateral matter between India and the US.”
According to the US official, while India shared inputs which suggested the use of F-16 fighter jets by Pakistan, it has neither presented any evidence nor asked for any inputs about the shooting down of an F-16 by the IAF on February 27. He said the only evidence he has seen was “what was presented in the Indian media”.
