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Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
They're still flying high
EDITORIAL: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has always drawn praise from everyone – not through grandstanding, but by delivering whenever it is tested. The latest nod came from the Chief of Staff of China's People's Liberation Army Air Force, Lieutenant General Wang Gang, who called the PAF's performance in the recent war with India 'a textbook example of precision, discipline, and courage' in the face of unprovoked aggression. The remark came during a high-level visit to Air Headquarters in Islamabad, where General Wang also noted China's keen interest in learning from the PAF's battle-tested integration of Multi-Domain Operations, which says a lot. That's not a compliment Beijing hands out lightly – especially given its own airpower ambitions. But for those who've watched the PAF over the decades, this shouldn't come as a surprise. The Pakistan Air Force has always punched well above its weight. It captured international attention during the 1965 war, when a much smaller fleet held its own against a numerically superior Indian Air Force. Some of its wartime manoeuvres became case studies in combat aviation. The legend only grew over time – with stories of PAF pilots flying for Arab states and downing Israeli jets during the Yom Kippur War becoming part of regional military lore. Even in peacetime, the service maintained its edge, consistently training to a standard that attracted foreign observers, joint drills, and deep bilateral engagements – not least with China, which co-developed the JF-17 Thunder with Pakistan. That same platform has since matured into a credible deterrent force, operated by highly trained PAF squadrons who've adapted to modern hybrid warfare challenges without bloating the budget. What's more, the PAF's operational discipline and strategic clarity often stand in contrast to the disarray that marks other parts of the country's institutional machinery. Whether it's political paralysis, economic stasis, or diplomatic drift, Pakistan struggles to project stability in most arenas – except when its military, particularly its air wing, is in frame. So when China singles out the PAF for praise – and explicitly expresses a desire to learn from it – the statement carries weight beyond flattery. It confirms what military analysts have long argued: that the Pakistan Air Force remains one of the region's most competent and coherent fighting forces. It also reinforces the reality that Pakistan's strategic partnerships are not just alive – they're evolving. China is not lavishing praise as a favour; it is acknowledging value. A battle-tested, professionally run air force with multi-domain integration capabilities is an asset, especially as China gears up for its own next-generation military transformation. And for Pakistan, deeper integration with China's airpower doctrines and technologies could be the edge it needs to maintain parity with a larger neighbour constantly updating its arsenal. Yet there's a larger implication here, one worth noting. Pakistan's military, and the PAF in particular, has remained committed to hard capability even as fiscal realities have shrunk civilian development space. One might argue whether this allocation of resources is sustainable – that's a different debate – but there is little doubt that it has paid operational dividends. For a country still fighting an internal insurgency, struggling with fiscal meltdown, and burdened by political disarray, having one institution consistently deliver competence and reliability on the global stage is more than just optics – it's leverage. That's not to say the country can fly on the wings of the PAF alone. But when the civilian leadership is largely absent from diplomatic or economic strategy, and parliament rarely debates serious national security matters, such moments of international recognition carry weight far beyond military circles. They serve as reminders of what disciplined focus can achieve, even under systemic stress. So yes, the PAF deserves the recognition. Not just for what it did this summer, but for the decades of consistency, evolution, and excellence that led up to it. If anything still commands quiet respect for Pakistan abroad, it's not its economy, its democracy, or its diplomacy. It's the precision of its pilots. And they're still flying high. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
India.com
06-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
From Russia Ukraine war, Middle East conflicts, to Pakistan, China earning huge profits by..., other countries...
New Delhi: In the last few years, China has emerged as the biggest profiteer of war. When neighbouring countries fight, China becomes their dealer. From the Russia-Ukraine war to the India-Pakistan conflict, and civil wars from Yemen to Africa, Chinese weapons are visible on every front. What does SIPRI report say? A recent report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has revealed that China has sent military equipment to more than 44 countries in the last few years. China has supplied various weapons ranging from fighter jets to 44 countries, of which the maximum weapons have been sold to Pakistan. The SIPRI report shows that 63 percent of China's military exports have gone to Pakistan, which includes fighter jets and missiles to air defense systems and drones. These systems were used in the conflict with India in May. However, the India-Pakistan conflict was not the only war in which Chinese weapons have been used. The report shows that China's strategy has become to engage countries in conflict and sell them weapons. That is why China is now supporting countries and elements that become the cause of regional instability, such as Pakistan, Russia or Iran and Iran-backed proxy organizations. How does China Pakistan military alliance work? The depth of the military alliance between China and Pakistan can be gauged from the fact that 63% of Chinese military exports go to Pakistan. These include fighter jets (JF-17 Thunder), missiles, drones, air defense systems and electronic warfare tools. Beijing got two benefits from this. On the one hand, its biggest defence customer (Pakistan) was satisfied, and on the other, a regional rival like India was indirectly challenged. Not only this, by not giving technological self-reliance to countries like Pakistan, China has deliberately trapped them in the trap of its military dependency. You must have heard that many Chinese weapons are made in Pakistan, but you will be surprised to know that all those weapons are made by Chinese engineers, people of Pakistan only work in such weapon factories out of compulsion and all the engineers and people engaged in technical work are Chinese. What is China's role in Russia-Ukraine war? China's role in Russia-Ukraine war is also quite dangerous. Although China has publicly denied sending weapons to the war, it is continuously supplying dual-use goods, such as machine tools, electronics, chemicals to Russia, which is helping Russia to maintain its military production. Apart from this, Chinese drones and other defense products are being used on the battlefield by the Russian army. The research report of the Takshila Institute shows that 90% of Russia's high priority military equipment is being purchased from China, which makes it clear that Beijing has used the Ukraine war as an opportunity. In a war where it cannot be a direct participant, China is taking advantage of it by playing its role indirectly. What is China's role in Middle East conflicts? When Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023 and a terrible war started in the Middle East, China started supplying its weapons. Last year, US intelligence sources told i24 News that Yemen-based and Iran-backed Houthi rebels have bought Chinese weapons to attack ships. In return, they do not attack Chinese ships. The Houthis have not attacked China's ships in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. In this way, China is also making geo-political bargains by providing weapons.
Business Recorder
27-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
India, Russia discussed supply of missile systems, upgrades to fighter jets, New Delhi says
India and Russia discussed the supply of S-400 missile systems, upgrades to Su-30 MKI fighter jets, and the procurement of critical military hardware, the Indian government said on Friday. JF-17 Thunder taking off to destroy Indian S-400 defence system The defence ministers of both countries met on Thursday on the sidelines of the SCO meet in China.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Time of India
Chinese fighter jet crash in Myanmar blamed on mechanical failure
A Myanmar rebel group has claimed to have downed a Chinese fighter jet operated by the Myanmar's Airforce. The fighter jet crashed in Myanmar's Pale Township, located in the Sagaing Region . AP citing local media reports has said the aircraft that crashed on 10th of this month was a Chinese fighter plane. It was the FTC-2000G , a two-seater air to ground light fighter jet and images of the crashed aircraft were broadcasted on the local media. A search and rescue mission was launched along with efforts to ascertain the type of aircraft and the crash was reportedly blamed on a mechanical failure, said an AP report quoting Myanmar's state run MRTV television. Ni Ni Kyaw, a spokesperson for a militia known as the People's Liberation Army, or PLA , told The Associated Press its fighters had been involved in an assault on a police station in Pale township when they shot down the jet at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like CVS Is Fuming Over New 87¢ Generic Viagra — See Why Health Alliance by Friday Plans Learn More Undo There have been conflicting reports about Tuesday's crash in Sagaing region, especially the make of the aircraft and reasons behind its crash. Was it the JF-17 Thunder According to several unconfirmed media reports it might have been a Chinese JF-17 Thunder . It was jointly developed by China and Pakistan as single engine multi role combat aircraft. If the reports are confirmed it would mark the first combat loss for the aircraft. Live Events How was the jet shot down The rebel group claimed that they downed the fighter jet using machine guns when it was flying at a very low altitude after a completing a bombing run. This has been the first time the group was able to shoot down a fighter jet since they began fighting against the against the military as reported by AFP Sagaing Region is approximately 700 km from Myanmar's capital, Naypyidaw. This region is under the control of rebels who are opposed to the military rule that was imposed in the country after the 2021 coup.
India.com
08-06-2025
- Business
- India.com
Pakistan fools its ally Azerbaijan despite getting support against India, sells 40 fighter jets at....
You won't believe what Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif did publicly after seeing this young, beautiful actress! She viral video Pakistan fools its ally Azerbaijan: In a significant development affecting the ongoing relations between Pakistan and its 'Bhaijaan' country Azerbaijan, Pakistan has signed a major defense deal with Azerbaijan, selling 40 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets and through the deal, Pakistan has likely fooled Azerbaijan of billions of dollars. Here are all the details you need to know about the recent development between Pakistan and its ally Azerbaijan. In what is being called the biggest export deal for 40 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets so far, Pakistan and Turkey have signed $4.6 billions. For a background information, the average cost of each JF-17 Thunder fighter jets is only around $32 million, but the average cost of sale of the jets to Azerbaijan is around $1.28 billion, thus giving losses in billions to Azerbaijan. Readers must note that Azerbaijan and Pakistan share very friendly relations and Azerbaijan recently helped Pakistan during the recent India-Pakistan tensions. Pakistan, Turkey and Azerbaijan set to strengthen anti-India nexus Islamabad In another significant development on Pakistan- Azerbaijan relations, the growing nexus between Islamabad-Ankara-Baku is expected to deepen and broaden further during the visit of Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Azerbaijan after concluding his ongoing visit to Iran, as per a report by news agency IANS. According to a report by IANS, a trilateral summit of Pakistan, Turkey and Azerbaijan is expected to be held in Lachin, a strategic city that connects Azerbaijan to Armenia, in the next 48 hours to take 'important decisions on joint strategies' in several fields, including defence. 'This high-level trilateral meeting between the heads of state/government of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Pakistan will be held in the city of Lachin, Azerbaijan, which is known for its natural beauty and strategic importance. The meeting is being held to consider the regional situation arising after the recent conflict between Pakistan and India, explore opportunities for mutual cooperation, and formulate a strategy for a common future,' Pakistani media reported on Tuesday. (With inputs from agencies)
