I admitted that India is of greater economic significance to the World, at the moment. But you used the term "strategic", which is wrong.
Regardless of your rant on how the World bows down to India, the fact remains that India's defensive capabilities are important only to India, whereas Pakistan's are important to many nations around the world.
That's an interesting point, but I don't agree with you!
Pakistans defense capabilities are only important for other nations for 2 reasons, one because it seems that most of the taliban and terrorists moved from Afghanistan to Pakistan now and secondly to make sure that the nukes are safe and can't fall into the wrong hands. So it's aimed for the use inside of Pakistan right?
Indian forces and especially IN instead, getting more and more important in a stratigic way to deter China. The stratigic location of India at the key shipping route towards the east is the biggest problem for China, be it in a war directly against India, or even against the US for Taiwan, if these routes are blocked Chinas supplies are in big trouble. That's why the US wants closer ties to India now, because they need the Indian forces as a counter weight on Chinas western borders and the Indian Ocean, whereas their forces still focus on South Korea, Japan and around Taiwan.
US gives India policing power in the Indian Ocean
WASHINGTON: Taking note of Indias growing influence in global affairs, the US has said the country will be a net provider of security in the Indian Ocean and beyond with the growth of its military capabilities...
...Indias military capabilities are rapidly improving through increased defence acquisitions and they now include long-range maritime surveillance, maritime interdiction and patrolling, air interdiction and strategic airlift, the report noted.
India has already established its worldwide military influence through counter piracy, peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief efforts. As its military capabilities grow, India will contribute to Asia as a net provider of security in the Indian Ocean and beyond, report said...
US gives India policing power in the Indian Ocean - India - The Times of India
So you can say either Pakistans and Indian forces plays an important role in the US strategy, but with different aims! Pakistan forces mainly internally, whereas Indian forces should play a regional, or even global role, although I don't see GoI sees it in the latter.
Also Indian defensive capabilities are not only important for India, but also for smaller neighbours like Nepal, or Butan. If India falls, nobody will care if China takes these countries in a row too, because they are not important to the world. They will complain and protest like we see in the case of Tibet, but nobody will send troops to protect them.
This, however, does not translate into a greater "strategic" importance for India. They have the money so they can buy what they like, but it doesn't mean that they will, somehow, be able to overshadow any business with Pakistan. There are plenty of companies that would gladly sell Pakistan its weapon systems if Pakistan requested them, and there is no reason to think this will change anytime soon.
You are mistaken if you think only Indian money to buy plays a role for them, because unlike the Gulf states, India is also important as a main outsourcing hub for the world. Just look at the ties in the defense industry with western counterparts now, that mainly comes because the wise strategy of GoI and MoD to give orders only with high ammount of offsets and ToT. Be it EADS, BAE, Boeing, Sikorsky, LM, Thales, Saab, Sukhoi, Mikoyan, or IAI!
All important companies building major sites in India, jv, or co-developments with the Indian industry now, which are meant for mid, or long term of course. So we don't just buy arms with our money like the Gulf states, we also improve our industrial and the economic ties like this, which in return will increase the importance of India to other those foreign countries too.
Also you said there are plenty of companies that would gladly sell Pakistan its weapon systems if Pakistan requested them, which of course is true, because those companies only aim on making money, without a need to think about political reasons, but governments can't do it like this!
If I'm not wrong Saab, or the Swedish industry in generall wanted to sell weapons to Pakistan in the past, but their government rejected it right? So although companies might be ready to sell you anything you want, it don't mean you will get anything. But this of course can be said about India too! Boeing is more than ready to sell us F18 Growlers, but it's more than doubtful that the US government will do it right?
The key concerns for us in any weapon system purchase are finance and self-reliance. Pakistan has limited funds with which to maximize the gains of any acquisition, hence, we must make the best overall decision. There should be little doubt in anybody's mind that the French would gladly make available the Rafale and Mirage to us, or that the Swedes would sell us the Grippen, and son on. However, Pakistan considers the Chinese FC-20 deal to be a better one for us in the long term, so we're going for that. India doesn't even come into this picture (maybe, maybe, Russia still cares what India thinks, but that's about it).
I don't think that India will be able to pressure other nations anyway, but simply from the economic point of view it should be clear, that those countries don't offer the same arms to Pakistan, if they could get more benefit with the sale to India. So if France would sale Rafale to Pakistan in a small order (even if you can pay for them), it would clearly lose the chance of a big order in India.
The Tiger helicopter for example was offered to Pakistan only after it went out of the Indian combat helicopter competition, because it was obvious that it don't fit the requirements, so it has no chance to win it.
The U214 sale to PN was said to be 95% cleared last year, but still is not fixed, but now the German president came to India and offered offensivly these subs and the EF. PN wants to buy 3 of them, IN looks for at least 6, if not up to 10 like some sources say.
That means, even if India can't, or won't put pressure on them, it is in their interest, to don't offer you the same, at least as long they see a chance of selling to India with a higher benefit.
