Islamic NATO, Defence Deals: How Is Pakistan Army Aiming To Expand Influence In Arab World?

Islamabad: Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif recently stated that demand for his country's JF-17 fighter jets has increased significantly. He claimed these deals are so substantial that his country will not need loans from the world in the coming years. 

While Asif is known for his boastful rhetoric, Pakistan's defence sector has received significant cooperation from China. This has strengthened Pakistan's defence industry, which is now seeking customers in the Arab world.

Has Pakistan signed any defence deal?

Buoyed by Chinese support, Pakistan is expanding its military presence in the Arab world. Islamabad signed a defense deal with Saudi Arabia last year and is currently negotiating a multi-billion dollar arms agreement with Sudan. 

What is the idea of Islamic NATO?

Pakistan also aspires to create a NATO-like military alliance of Islamic countries, initially including Turkey and Saudi Arabia. This is a particular cause for concern for India.

Pakistani Minister Raza Hayat recently revealed in an interview with Reuters that a military agreement is being negotiated between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. He said, "A Pakistan-Saudi Arabia-Turkey trilateral agreement is already in the works. This is separate from the bilateral Saudi-Pakistani agreement signed last year."

According to Hayat, Pakistan has a draft of the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia-Turkey trilateral agreement. The draft is also with Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The governments of the three countries have been discussing it for the past 10 months. Final agreement between the three countries to finalize this deal is expected soon.

What are Pakistan's defence deals?

Pakistan's $1.5 billion deal to supply weapons and jet aircraft to Sudan is in its final stages. This will provide a significant boost to the Sudanese army, which is fighting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Islamabad is also in talks with Saudi Arabia to convert a $2 billion loan into a deal for JF-17 fighter jets. 

Iraq has also expressed interest in purchasing JF-17 Thunder jets from Pakistan. While the Sudanese deal worth $1.5 billion and the Saudi deal worth $2 billion are not considered very large by defense procurement standards, these agreements certainly demonstrate the growing reach of Pakistani military hardware and its influence in the Arab world.

What is Pakistan's changing role?

Pakistan's military role in the Arab world has traditionally been limited to training armed forces. This role has recently begun to change. If the current negotiations are successful, it could establish Pakistan as a major security provider in several areas. This would give it the ability to shift the balance of power in delicate conflicts.

China's role behind Pakistan is particularly significant. The JF-17 was jointly developed by Pakistan and China. Pakistan is securing several deals based on these aircraft. If these Pakistani aircraft prove successful initially, its stature as an arms supplier will increase significantly in the coming years.