Tensions simmer in global defense circles as Pakistan-Saudi military parleys pave the way for a landmark deal: repurposing a $2 billion Saudi loan for JF-17 Thunder jets. This isn’t mere transaction—it’s a pivot in power equations, amplifying China’s indirect sway.
Pakistan gains economic succor; Saudi secures affordable airpower sans Western premiums. The JF-17, born of Pak-China ingenuity, facilitates Beijing’s market resurgence through a proxy less tainted by prior flops.
Asian outlets coin it ‘debt-for-arms,’ echoing the jet’s troubled legacy. Per EU Reporter, aggressive sales a decade ago to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Saudi yielded scant success. Myanmar’s experience was disastrous—grounded squadrons by 2023 from engine meltdowns, outdated systems, faulty radars, and fatigue cracks.
Islamabad advances sales to Libya, Bangladesh, Saudi, branding itself a neutral defense nexus for Muslim states. China’s pivotal supply role endures, underscoring the ‘backdoor’ essence.
Europe frets over eroded arms governance and rights enforcement. The US, more acutely, risks Chinese tech seeping into Saudi forces via Pakistan, undermining sanctions efficacy, data integrity, operational synergy, and bloc-building in dual hotspots.