Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has claimed that the country is witnessing a sharp increase in aircraft orders following last year’s brief but intense military confrontation with India, arguing that successful defense exports could eventually lessen Islamabad’s reliance on the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Asif made the remarks on Tuesday amid renewed foreign interest in Pakistan’s combat aircraft, particularly the JF-17 Thunder, a fighter jet jointly developed by Pakistan and China that has formed the backbone of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) for more than a decade.
JF-17 Gains Attention After Aerial Clashes
The comments followed a visit by a senior Bangladeshi defence delegation to Islamabad, where officials held talks with Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu on the potential acquisition of JF-17 fighter jets. The meeting focused on evaluating the aircraft’s capabilities and operational performance.
Pakistan’s combat aviation attracted global attention during the May 2025 conflict with India, when Islamabad claimed it had shot down six Indian aircraft, including French-made Rafale jets. India later confirmed aircraft losses during the aerial engagements but did not release exact numbers, leaving room for competing narratives.
Since the confrontation, multiple countries have reportedly stepped up defense engagement with Pakistan. According to officials, foreign delegations have shown interest in examining how the PAF employed multi-domain air warfare, particularly the effectiveness of Chinese-developed platforms against Western-origin systems.
Asif Links Defense Exports To IMF Independence
Speaking to GeoTV in Karachi, Asif said Pakistan’s performance during the four-day conflict had enhanced its global defense profile, translating into rising demand for its military products. He suggested that if current negotiations convert into firm deals, Pakistan could eventually reduce its dependence on IMF bailouts.
However, the statement comes at a time when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government is reportedly exploring ways to seek relief from the IMF’s strict fiscal and macroeconomic conditions for the 2026–27 federal budget. According to The News International, Islamabad may approach the Fund to soften some loan-linked requirements.
Experts Question Economic Impact
Defence analyst and political scientist Ayesha Siddiqa dismissed Asif’s assertions, saying he “sounds like journalists who claim to cover defense but cannot distinguish the back of a plane from the front of a submarine”, as per a report on India Today. She argued that the financial returns from JF-17 exports are far too limited to replace IMF assistance.
Siddiqa pointed out that Pakistan’s share in the JF-17 program is relatively small. Only about 58 percent of the airframe is produced locally, with China retaining the primary design and manufacturing role. Revenue from exports is therefore split between the two partners, significantly reducing Pakistan’s net earnings.
Big Deals, But IMF Reliance Remains
Pakistan has secured export orders in recent years, including fighter jet sales to Azerbaijan and Libya, while Bangladesh is also reportedly in discussions over the J-10 aircraft. Still, analysts stress that such deals cannot offset the scale of Pakistan’s financial obligations.
In September 2024, the IMF approved a $7 billion bailout for Pakistan under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), followed by a $1.4 billion loan in May 2025 under its climate resilience program.
Last month, Reuters reported that Pakistan finalized a major defense agreement worth over $4 billion with the Libyan National Army, including the sale of 16 JF-17 fighters and 12 Super Mushak trainer aircraft—a significant boost to its defense export ambitions, but not a substitute for international financial support.
