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23-01-2026
By SJA Jafri
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s defence manufacturing industry is running red hot since its jets, drones and missiles earned the coveted ‘combat tested’ tag in a conflict with India last year, attracting a slew of interested buyers.
Islamabad has held talks with 13 countries, six to eight of which are in an advanced stage, for deals involving JF-17 jets made jointly with China as well as training aircraft, drones, and weapons systems, said three Pakistani sources who have knowledge of defence sales.
Pakistan’s military and defence ministry did not provide details on any deals but the country’s defence production minister confirmed that several countries were interested in jets and other military equipment.
China’s defence ministry did not respond to media’ request for comment.
Analysts believe countries are searching for new supply chains following disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East. Pakistan’s weapons have become a viable alternative after they were tested in a massive air battle with India in May, in which Pakistan’s air force squadrons flew JF-17s alongside the advanced Chinese-made J-10s.
Media spoke to six sources privy to defence deals, three retired air force officials, and a dozen analysts who provided insight into Pakistan’s rising weapons industry, including unreported details of negotiations.
While some expressed scepticism about whether Pakistan could navigate geopolitical pressures and increase production capacity, there was consensus that interest in Pakistani military hardware had surged. However, most analysts cautioned talks would not necessarily lead to signed deals.
“These talks are taking place (but) they can fall through due to international pressures,” Defence Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj told media, terming any negotiations “guarded secrets”.
“There are a lot of queries but we are negotiating,” he said, adding interest had been expressed in air force equipment, ammunition and training.
Harraj also stressed the price difference between Pakistani jets and weapons and alternatives made in the US and Europe. While some Western options may be more technologically advanced, they cost more than three times as much as an approximately $30 million to $40 million JF-17.
Growing list of buyers
The sources said countries engaged in talks include Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Morocco, Ethiopia, and Nigeria as well as the government in eastern Libya led by Khalifa Haftar. Discussions on JF-17s and other weapons with Bangladesh and Iraq have been publicly acknowledged by Pakistan’s military, although more details have not been made public. Almost all the potential buyers are Muslim-majority nations, like Pakistan. Many are from the predominantly Muslim Middle East, where Pakistan has historically been a security provider.
Asim Suleiman, a retired Air Marshal who remains briefed on defence sales, said “there are also three African countries lined up” as buyers, which do not include deals with the Libyan National Army and Sudan previously reported by media.
Three defence sources said among the most advanced talks is a wide-ranging arms, defence cooperation and intelligence-sharing deal with Bangladesh, which gained independence from Pakistan after the 1971 civil war.
The talks include JF-17 Block III multi-role fighter jets, MFI-17 Mushshak aircraft, Pakistani-made drones including the Shahpar reconnaissance and attack UAVs, air defence systems, and Mohafiz mine-resistant armored vehicles, two of the sources said.
