- Reports citing official say visiting Defence minister meets PAF chief in Islamabad
- Discussions include over 40 JF-17 Thunder fighters as Jakarta shows interest in Pakistan’s Shahpar drones
- Talks part of Pakistan’s expanding defence exports as Indonesia modernising ageing air force fleet
ISLAMABAD/JAKARTA: Indonesia’s defence minister has held talks with Pakistan’s air force chief in Islamabad on a potential defence deal that could include the sale of combat aircraft and armed drones to Jakarta, three security officials with knowledge of the meeting said on Monday.
The discussions come as Pakistan’s defence industry advances a series of international procurement negotiations—including with Libya’s National Army and Sudan’s military — as Islamabad seeks to position itself as a growing regional defence supplier.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence confirmed the meeting between Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and Pakistan Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu.
“The meeting focused on discussing general defence cooperation relations, including strategic dialogue, strengthening communication between defence institutions, and opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields in the long term,” defence ministry spokesperson Brig Gen Rico Ricardo Sirait told Reuters, adding that the talks had not yet resulted in any concrete decisions.
According to one source, discussions centred on the possible sale of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets — a multi-role combat aircraft jointly developed by Pakistan and China — as well as armed drones capable of surveillance and precision strikes. Two other sources said the talks were at an advanced stage and involved more than 40 JF-17 jets. One of them added that Indonesia had also shown interest in Pakistan’s Shahpar drones.
The sources said no timelines had been discussed regarding delivery schedules or the duration over which a potential deal might be implemented. Pakistan’s military media wing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Indonesia replacing ageing air force fleet
Another security source familiar with military procurement talks said Pakistan was also discussing the sale of air defence systems, as well as training programmes for junior, mid-level and senior Indonesian air force officers, along with engineering staff.
“The Indonesia deal is in the pipeline,” retired Air Marshal Asim Suleiman, who remains briefed on air force negotiations, told Reuters, adding that the number of JF-17 jets under discussion was close to 40.
Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto visited Pakistan last month for a two-day trip aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, including cooperation in defence and security.
Jakarta has placed multiple major aircraft orders in recent years as it moves to modernise and replace its ageing air force fleet. These include a 2022 deal for 42 French Rafale fighter jets worth $8.1 billion and an order last year for 48 KAAN fighter jets from Turkiye. Indonesia has also considered acquiring China’s J-10 fighter jets and is in talks to purchase US-made F-15EX aircraft.
Pakistan’s rising defence industry
Interest in Pakistan’s indigenous weapons development programme has surged since its fighter aircraft were deployed during a brief conflict with India last year. The JF-17 has been central to this growing attention, featuring prominently in defence agreements with Azerbaijan and a $4 billion weapons pact with Libya’s National Army.
Pakistan is also exploring a defence agreement with Bangladesh that could include the sale of Super Mushshak training aircraft and JF-17 fighters as bilateral ties improve. Reuters has previously reported that Islamabad is in discussions with Riyadh over a defence deal potentially worth between $2 billion and $4 billion, which could involve converting Saudi loans into military supplies.
