Given by US to fight Taliban, Pak uses missile to target India at LoC

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 10

In what could further change the course of the India-US relations, India has flagged its concerns to the US, with evidence, that Pakistan was using US weapons, given to fight Taliban, against the Indian Army.

The recent attacks by Pakistan on Indian Army bunkers along the Line of Control and also on civilian population were carried out using the US-made TOW-2A anti-tank guided missiles given to Pakistan for use against Taliban.

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At least nine Indian soldiers have died in 2018 due to Pakistani fire assaults directed against Indian Army positions along the LoC. In 2007, the US Congress approved the sale of 2,000 pieces of ‘TOW-2A’ anti-tank missiles for Pakistan purportedly for ‘self-defence’ and to support US operations against terrorists in Afghanistan.

In 2015, India and the US renewed a 10-year defence framework agreement. A year later, US designated India as a major defence partner. Subsequently, the US Congress voted to bring India on a par with its other NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) allies for sale of defence equipment and technology transfer.

The ‘misuse’ of the missiles by the Pakistan Army was flagged at appropriate levels in the US government. Remnants of TOW-2A missile recovered after a fire assault were collected and shifted to New Delhi as proof and were shown to US representatives. Flagging the misuse of the missiles is India’s policy to isolate Pakistan in global arena.

US President Donald Trump, in the recent past, has accused Pakistan of deceiving the United States. He said Pakistan was harboring terrorists even as the US poured billions of dollars in foreign aid.

“The US has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!” Trump said on January 1.

Proof submitted 

• The ‘misuse’ of missiles by the Pakistan Army was flagged at appropriate levels in the US government
• Remnants of TOW-2A missile recovered after a fire assault were collected and shifted to New Delhi as proof and were shown to US representatives