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

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice [Images] 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 [Images] over telephone to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] 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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