Pakistan is holding negotiations with “multiple” countries for the sale of its JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, Defence Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj has confirmed, marking a notable push in the country’s defence export ambitions. The light combat aircraft is jointly developed by Pakistan and China and produced domestically by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex.
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Speaking to BBC Urdu, Harraj said interested countries had initiated discussions but declined to name any or reveal the status of individual talks. “These negotiations are taking place and they take some time. Many countries have shown interest in these aircraft,” he said, adding that deals of such nature remain highly classified until finalised.
Harraj stressed that sales would be limited to friendly nations, noting that China — a co-developer of the platform — would remain a key stakeholder in any security or financial arrangements. The minister also said the aircraft had been “battle-tested” during last year’s four-day conflict with India, a display of performance that he claimed drew attention from foreign air forces.
He identified pricing as a crucial advantage for the platform, stating that while similar aircraft internationally cost between $250 million and $350 million, the JF-17 is priced around $40 million to $50 million depending on configuration, with the possibility of higher valuations for advanced features.
On production capacity, Harraj declined to provide details, citing national security. Parts of the aircraft are manufactured in Pakistan while others are produced in China. Defence analysts told BBC Urdu that key technologies remain under Beijing’s control, making China a senior partner in export agreements.
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In recent months, the JF-17 has reportedly attracted interest from Bangladesh, Iraq, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, with Reuters reporting talks between Islamabad and Riyadh over converting roughly $2 billion in Saudi loans into a JF-17 procurement deal. Pakistan has also deepened defence cooperation with Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, China and Azerbaijan in recent years.