Article Posted on : - Jul 12, 2011

NEW DELHI (PTI): India Tuesday welcomed the US withdrawing USD 800 million military aid to Pakistan and termed the move as a "positive step".

"It is too early to comment for how how long this embargo will continue. But it is a positive step, a welcome step," Defence Ministry A K Antony told reporters here.

He was reacting to the US' decision to cut military aid to Pakistan.

US had on Sunday suspended a USD 800 million military aid to Pakistan.

The suspended aid, which is about one-third of the USD 2 billion in annual American security assistance to Pakistan, includes about USD 300 million to reimburse Pakistan for some of the costs of deploying more than 100,000 soldiers along the Afghan border to combat terrorism.

It also comprises millions of dollars in training assistance and military hardware.

Antony refused to reply to the queries on the controversy over the age of Army Chief General V K Singh.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna had Monday welcomed the US decision, saying a heavy presence of arms would have disturbed the equilibrium in the region.

"With reference to the special circumstances between India and Pakistan and how India has consistently taken the view that it is not desirable that this region had to be heavily armed by the US which will upset the equilibrium in the region itself. To that extent India welcomes this step," he had said.