WASHINGTON: United States President George Bush has requested aid for fiscal 1991 worth 93.921 million dollars for India and 564.93 million dollars for Pakistan, including 228 million dollars in foreign military sales which are now treated as grants.
Undersecretary of state Reginald Bartholomew justified the continued high level of military aid to Pakistan on the ground that it “supports Pakistani democracy, brings stability to the Indian subcontinent and safeguards America’s strategic interests.”
The fiscal 1991 aid request for India consists of 22 million dollars in development assistance, 71.621 million dollars of PL-480 food grants and 300,000 dollars for military training of Indian officers in the U.S. making a total of 93.921 dollars.
The current fiscal 1990 program totals 104.503 million dollars, including 21 million dollars in development assistance, 83.204 million dollars in PL-480 food grants and 299,000 dollars for military training.
Aid director Mark Edelman, responding to a questioner who noted that development assistance to India worked out to less than three cents per capita, said India’s needs were scientific and technical and were different from those of other countries.
The request for Pakistan for fiscal 1991 includes 46 million dollars for development assistance, 80 million dollars for PL-480 loans generating local currency through the sale of PL-480 food, economic support funds of 210 million dollars, 930,000 dollars for military training and 228 million dollars of foreign military sales, making a total of 564.93 million dollars.
The current fiscal 1990 program for Pakistan allocates 43 million dollars for development assistance, 80 million dollars for PL-480 loans, 229.011 million dollars for economic support funds, 911,000 dollars for military training and 229.011 million dollars for foreign military sales making 9 totals of 581.933 million dollars.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 9, 1990
