In the wake of the recent tensions between
india and
pakistan,
china is standing by its strategic partner,
pakistan, in terms of defense. According to the latest information,
china will deliver its fifth-generation stealth
fighter jets, the J-35A, to
pakistan in a short time. Pakistan's Defense
minister Khawaja Asif, who is currently on a visit to
china, and according to high-level diplomatic sources, the first batch of 30 J-35A
fighter jets will be delivered to
pakistan by
august 2025. The decision underscores the importance that
china attaches to bilateral defense cooperation between the two countries.
China is not only providing these
fighter jets to
pakistan at a 50 percent discount, but is also offering easy payment facilities. According to reports in late 2024,
pakistan will purchase a total of 40 J-35A
fighter jets. The deal will go down in
history as the first fifth-generation stealth
fighter export from China. Pilots from the
pakistan air Force have already been sent to the Chinese
air Force headquarters in
beijing and have begun training on the J-35A platform. This is a testament to Pakistan’s progress towards fifth-generation
air capabilities. In addition to the defense deal,
china will invest $25 billion in the development of civil and military infrastructure in Pakistan. This will be part of the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
pakistan has assured full security to provide easier access to the Gwadar port.
Thus, the strengthening of defense and economic ties between
china and
pakistan is likely to have a significant impact on the security equation in South Asia. Analysts predict that the two countries are moving forward with determination to jointly address regional challenges.