The United Kingdom Ambassador Michael Arthur has asked India not to fulfill the promise of selling BN-2 Islander aircraft to Myanmar. Citing European Union guidelines on dealing with Myanmar, he said British supply of spares for helicopters and replacement of Harriers on INS Viraat would be affected if India goes ahead with this sale. This is the second time that UK is demonstrating that it is an unreliable supplier of defense equipment. In held back critical spares after the Phokran-II tests in 1998 and finally released these spares after India signed a multi-billion USD order for Advance Jet Trainers (AJT). The Ambassador said that this was one area of turbulence in Indo-UK relations and that other military-to-military contact will not be affected. He revealed that the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force will be conducting a joint exercise by the end of the year and British aircraft carriers will visit Indian ports in a few months.

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