The United States dismissed India's concerns over the supply of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan on Friday.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said in an interview to the Washington Post that there was 'no contradiction' between encouraging Islamabad to advance towards democracy.

Indo-Pak peace talks

Rice 'dismissed concerns' that the sale of F-16s to Pakistan would send a contradictory message in view of the fact that Pakistan's government came to power in a coup and the country has developed nuclear weapons.

US's decision to transfer the fighter plans to Pakistan was conveyed by President George W Bush over telephone to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday evening.

Pakistan's nuclear bazaar | Bus diplomacy

Singh had expressed India's disappointment over the US move that could have 'negative consequences' for New Delhi's security environment.

Pakistan bought 40 F-16s from the United States during the 1980s but the Congress halted the sales in 1990 because of Islamabad's efforts to develop nuclear weapons in defiance of US non-proliferation policy.

"Pakistan has come a long way since then and under Musharraf's rule, the country is on a better trajectory than it has ever been," Rice said.

"Pakistan is a world away from where it was before the Sept 11 attacks," Rice said and defended the US decision to supply fighter jets citing a recommendation made by the commission that investigated the attacks.

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