Islamabad, January 14, 2026: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said Pakistan was holding talks with several countries for the sale of its fighter jets, citing increased international demand following the country’s military success against India during the May 2025 armed conflict.
Addressing a meeting of the federal cabinet, the prime minister said Pakistan’s defence capabilities had drawn renewed global attention.
“After Pakistan won the war last year, the demand for Pakistani fighter jets has increased. Many countries are actively engaged with us to acquire these aircraft,” he stated.
Separately, Minister for Defence Production Raza Hayat Haraj confirmed in an interview with the BBC that Pakistan was in discussions with multiple countries regarding the export of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets. The multi-role combat aircraft has been jointly developed by Pakistan and China.
The minister said negotiations were underway but stressed that any export agreement would require China’s approval due to its role in the aircraft’s development.
“These negotiations are taking place and they take some time. Many countries are interested in these aircraft,” he said.
According to a Reuters report, citing official sources, Pakistan has held discussions with Libya, Sudan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia regarding defence cooperation, particularly the sale of JF-17 Thunder jets. However, Minister Haraj declined to name any country or provide details, describing such information as classified.
“These are sensitive matters. I cannot name any country or say at what level our talks with them are,” he said.
Pakistan and India engaged in an 87-hour conflict in May 2025 after India launched strikes against Pakistan following an attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). New Delhi accused Pakistan of involvement in the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 tourists, a claim Islamabad has denied, instead calling for a neutral international investigation.
During the conflict, Pakistan said it shot down six Indian fighter jets, including three Rafale aircraft, along with dozens of drones. The fighting ended on May 10 following a ceasefire brokered by the United States.
During the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz also referred to a memorandum of understanding signed with World Liberty Financial to explore the use of a stablecoin for cross-border transactions. He said the agreement would help strengthen Pakistan’s economy and modernise its financial systems.
The prime minister noted that Pakistan had achieved economic stability in a short period and said the government’s focus had now shifted towards growth-oriented policies. He reiterated the government’s commitment to completely eradicate terrorism, saying security forces remained fully determined to eliminate the threat.
He also announced that seven Danish schools were being established in Balochistan as part of broader efforts to improve education and promote development in the province.
Concluding his remarks, Prime Minister Shehbaz said Pakistan had made notable economic progress and pledged to accelerate efforts to ensure sustained development across the country.
