Pakistan in Talks With Several Countries For Sale of JF-17

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that several countries are engaged in talks with Pakistan for the purchase of indigenously produced fighter jets, JF-17 for their Air forces.

Several media reports indicate that more than four countries are engaged in formal talks with Pakistan for the purchase of JF-17 fighters.

Addressing a federal cabinet meeting, PM Shehbaz said that after Pakistan’s victory in May 2025 conflict with India the demand for Pakistan’s fighter jets had increased dramatically.

“There are several countries that are actively engaged in talks with Pakistan on this, and this will boost our defence production and benefit our economy,” the premier added.

Reports in the media indicate that Saudi Arabia is engaged in high-level talks to convert approximately $2 billion of existing loans into a JF-17 procurement deal.

Similarly Indonesia is in advanced discussions for a package that could include up to 40 JF-17 aircraft alongside “killer drones” and pilot training.

Iraq has also expressed “keen interest” in the aircraft as of January 2026, with reports indicating a potential deal for 12 units. Recently Air chiefs of Bangladesh visited Islamabad where he discussed the potential procurement of three squadrons of JF-17 Block III jets. Libya has reportedly finalized a multi-billion dollar deal in December 2025 that includes several JF-17 fighters. Sudan is Currently in the final phases of a $1.5 billion deal for defense hardware, including JF-17s

It is pertinent to mention here that Azerbaijan signed a landmark $1.6 billion deal for JF-17 Block III jets in February 2024. Reports in early 2026 suggest this agreement has expanded to 40 units valued at roughly $4.6 billion.

Myanmar was the first export customer, having ordered 16 Block 2 aircraft in 2015; at least 11 have been delivered as of 2026. Nigeria acquired and inducted 3 JF-17 jets into its air force in 2021.

When these jets are exported, then the world will know which countries have bought them,” the report quoted him as saying.

Defence Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj gave an interview to BBC Urdu service in which he said that Pakistan was engaged in discussions with “multiple” countries for the sale of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets.

“These negotiations are taking place and they take some time. Many countries have shown interest in these aircraft,” the minister was quoted as saying in an interview with BBC Urdu, published on Tuesday.

“I cannot take the name of any country. Neither can I tell on what level our negotiations are with any country,” he told the British broadcaster.

He stressed that such matters were a country’s “jealously guarded secrets”.

Harraj further said, “Firstly, we must ensure that we only sell [JF-17s] to those who are our friendly countries. So they are not used against us.

” He added that China is on board whenever Pakistan signs such a deal with any country.

The defence production minister highlighted that the jets were battle-tested during the four-day conflict with India last year: “The entire world’s air forces saw these jets’.

Pakistan’s economy will get a substantial boost from these defense deals as these defense deals will substantially improve Pakistan foreign exchange reserves.

JF-17 is a joint production of Chinese and Pakistani defense industry. It is likely that China would also be part of these defense deals