The news of the United States approving a substantial $700 million package for the upkeep and sustainment of Pakistan's F-16 fleet has triggered predictable concern in India. But the decision itself is neither new nor surprising. It is part of a larger agreement entered into in 2022 and follows a long tradition of US engagement with Pakistan's air force that has survived every cycle of political turbulence in both countries.

Across decades - Republican and Democratic administrations alike - the supply, upgrade, and maintenance of Pakistan's F-16s have remained a constant, justified in Washington as essential for "aviation safety" and counter-terrorism missions. The latest tranche confirmed by the Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on December 4 fits squarely into that pattern. It is a sustainment package, not a new sale, and merely extends the service life of an ageing fleet.

The announcement, therefore, is not revealing something previously unknown. Nor should New Delhi treat it as a dramatic departure in American policy. What makes the development interesting is not the deal itself, but its timing. It comes at a moment of renewed churn in India-US political communication, and a moment when Pakistan is proving more than willing to play ball with a Trump administration that responds enthusiastically to flattery and transactional cooperation.

Can India control what decisions are taken in Washington-whether "good, bad, or ugly"? Perhaps not. The latest US National Security Strategy has already offered confusing signals about how this administration values the long-term strategic partnership with India. With bilateral expectations having slipped to unusually low levels, the approval of an F-16 sustainment package should hardly catch New Delhi off guard.

© NDTV