Geopolitical ripples are spreading from Islamabad as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia deepen defense bonds, potentially converting a hefty Saudi loan into JF-17 fighter purchases. Senior military dialogues signal not just bilateral aid, but a broader realignment where China lurks prominently in the shadows.
The $2 billion loan conversion targets the Sino-Pakistani JF-17, offering Pakistan fiscal breathing room and Saudi an economical edge against high-end Western alternatives. Yet, beneath the surface, it’s China’s gambit to reclaim defense market share lost to reliability doubts, using Pakistan’s credibility.
Labeled ‘debt-for-arms’ in regional discourse, the model revives memories of failed JF-17 pitches to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and others. EU Reporter details Myanmar’s woes: by 2023, engine troubles, avionics decay, radar shortcomings, and airframe wear sidelined the fleet, exposing deep-seated flaws.
Pakistan counters by brokering deals with Libya, Bangladesh, and Saudi, aspiring to lead as a Muslim-world arms conduit with a ‘balanced’ JF-17 offering. Essential Chinese inputs persist despite the facade, marking a ‘backdoor’ ploy for Beijing to skirt risks.
Implications unsettle the West. The EU sees threats to its arms export controls and human rights mandates, chipping at its regulatory clout. America confronts a stealthy Chinese expansion into partner nations’ arsenals, evading red lines and fostering vulnerabilities in interoperability and alliances amid Indo-Pacific and Middle East tensions.