Why is Pakistan selling its JF-17 fighter jets to Bangladesh and others?

Al JazeeraCenterEN 9 min read 100% complete by Abid HussainJanuary 9, 2026 at 10:34 AM

AI Summary

long article 9 min

Pakistan is actively pursuing defense diplomacy by marketing its JF-17 Thunder fighter jet to several countries. In early January 2026, discussions with Bangladesh indicated a potential sale to support their aging air force, alongside a fast-tracked delivery of Super Mushshak trainer aircraft. Simultaneously, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are reportedly negotiating a deal to convert $2 billion in Saudi loans into a JF-17 purchase, enhancing their military alliance. These developments follow reports of a $4 billion agreement with the Libyan National Army (LNA) in late December for over a dozen JF-17 jets. These potential sales are driven by Pakistan's desire to strengthen defense ties and capitalize on the JF-17's appeal following recent clashes with India.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Super Mushshak ×235% Libyan National Army (LNA) 40% Libya ×245% India ×350% Saudi Arabia ×250% Bangladesh Air Force 55% Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan 60% Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu 60% Pakistan Air Force ×265% Bangladesh ×470% JF-17 Thunder ×785% Pakistan ×1090%

Keywords

jf-17 thunder fighter jet 100% defence diplomacy 70% military cooperation 60% pakistan air force 60% bangladesh air force 50% arms deal 50% air defence 40% super mushshak trainer aircraft 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral

Score: 0.10

Source Transparency

Source

Al Jazeera

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Pakistan

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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jf-17 thunder fighter jet defence diplomacy military cooperation pakistan air force bangladesh air force arms deal air defence super mushshak trainer aircraft

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