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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said Saturday that it will take appropriate measures vis-à-vis India's deal to purchase three Falcon airborne early warning radar system from the Zionist regime, saying this would disturb the strategic balance in South Asia.

"The sales of sophisticated weapons to India will disturb the strategic and conventional imbalance in South Asia, and we will naturally take steps to readdress the balance, " Major General Shaukat Sultan, director-general of Inter-Services Public Relations told Iranian based News Agency.

Perspective

India and Israel signed the US$1.1 billion deal on Friday, which had been lined up since zionist Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's visit to India in September last year.

The development takes place three months before the much-awaited India and Pakistan talks to settle their bilateral disputes, including the Kashmir issue.

The Israel cabinet, at the week-end, okayed the deal for the Falcon, a rival to the US-made airborne warning and control system (AWACS). The Falcon consists of avionics from the state-owned Israel Aircraft Industries to be fitted onto Russian-made Ilyushin aircraft.

Last year, US officials pressed Israel to postpone the Falcon sale citing increased tensions between Pakistan and India, but later withdrew their objections.

Indo-Israel Ties

Tel Aviv and New Delhi have grown closer in recent years and Israel has become an important arms supplier to India.

New Delhi wants to strengthen its defenses by acquiring airborne warning and control system, which can detect aerial threats and also serve as a platform to direct combat planes to targets.

Tel Aviv in recent years has emerged as one of the largest weapons exporters in the world. Israeli military sales reached US$4 billion in 2002 before falling to 2.8 billion in 2003.