Saudi to Sudan: Can Pakistan expand military footprint across Arab world
Department of Research, Strategic Studies and International Relations 16-01-2026
Tens of thousands of people have been killed, millions have been displaced, and RSF troops have been accused of gang rapes – including of infants.By the standards of mega arms deals, the $1.5bn deal for Pakistan to reportedly sell jets and weapons to Sudan’s military isn’t huge.
But the deal, which the Reuters news agency reported in early January was close to being finalised, could prove pivotal in the grinding war that has devoured Sudan for nearly three years between the country’s armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The agreement under negotiation is only the latest in a series of moves by Pakistan in recent months that demonstrate the growing footprint of its military hardware and clout in the Arab world.
Pakistan’s military has, over the past few years, sold jets to multiple countries in Asia and Africa, and is in talks with others. But in the Middle East, its military role has traditionally, for the most part, involved training forces of Arab allies.
That’s now changing, with a spree of deals and negotiations that could turn Pakistan into a key security provider in some cases, and give it the ability to tip the balance in delicate conflicts in other instances.
But analysts warn that divisions within the Arab world mean that Pakistan will need to tread carefully – or risk burning bridges with important partners.
The JF-17 attraction
Apart from Saudi Arabia, Iraq too has shown interest in the JF-17, according to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) – the military’s media arm.he JF-17 Thunder is a lightweight, all-weather, multirole fighter jointly produced by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation.
Production is split between the two countries, with 58 percent carried out in Pakistan and 42 percent in China. Pakistan produces the airframe, while China supplies the avionics.
The latest version, the Block 3 variant, is classified as a 4.5-generation fighter. It features air-to-air and air-to-surface capabilities, advanced avionics, an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, electronic warfare systems and the ability to fire beyond-visual-range missiles.The AESA radar allows pilots to track multiple targets simultaneously and detect threats at longer distances, though the aircraft lacks the stealth characteristics of fifth-generation fighters.
According to Pakistan Air Force (PAF) sources, full assembly takes place in Pakistan, and the production line at the Kamra facility can manufacture between 20 and 25 aircraft annually.
Pakistan has marketed the JF-17 internationally for several years. Azerbaijan, Nigeria and Myanmar are currently among the aircraft’s operators. But analysts say interest in the jet has intensified since the brief but intense military confrontation between Pakistan and India last May.
