New Delhi, Feb. 13: India today summoned US ambassador Richard Verma to protest Washington's decision to sell eight F-16 fighter aircraft to Pakistan overriding concerns expressed by New Delhi and influential sections of the American Congress, pointing to the limitations of the Prime Minister's personal bonhomie with President Barack Obama.

The Obama administration notified late last night the sale of the aircraft to Pakistan, after arguing for weeks that the delivery of the fresh batch of planes was necessary as a part of the US strategy in Afghanistan.

The US has increasingly raised its dependence on Pakistan in recent months in its bid to negotiate talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

"We are disappointed at the decision of the Obama administration to notify the sale of F-16 aircrafts to Pakistan," foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

"We disagree with the rationale that such arms transfers help to combat terrorism. The record of the last many years speaks for itself."

An hour later, foreign secretary S. Jaishankar summoned Verma to South Block, headquarters of the foreign ministry, to lodge the protest.

India had quietly lobbied against the sale in Washington for months, and had earned support from several key Congressmen who pointed to fears that Pakistan was still aiding terror groups like the Haqqani network - which has targeted several Afghan and Indian installations in Afghanistan.

Some, like US Senator Bob Corker, chairperson of the influential Senate committee on foreign relations, have opposed any American subsidy to Pakistan for the purchase of the planes.

"While it is my intention at this time to clear the sale of eight F-16 aircraft to Pakistan, I do not plan to support the expenditure of the very limited FMF account to finance this deal, now or in the future," Corker wrote in a letter to American secretary of state John Kerry this week, referring to the foreign military finance programme of the US government.

"I may reconsider my blanket hold on U.S. FMF assistance should the Pakistanis make progress on addressing my significant concerns about their support for the Haqqani network."