Indonesia In Talks With Pakistan Over Defence Deal Involving JF-17 Jets, Killer Drones

Indonesia’s Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin met Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu in Islamabad as both countries are closing in on a potential defence deal that includes the sale of combat jets and killer drones to Jakarta, according to reports.

The visit comes after a series of multi-billion-dollar deals by Islamabad with several countries, including a $4-billion weapons pact with the Libyan National Army that marked one of Pakistan’s largest-ever arms sales, which includes the JF-17 and training aircraft.

Sources told Reuters that the talks between Indonesia and Pakistan revolved around the sale of JF-17 jets, jointly developed by Pakistan and China, and killer drones designed for surveillance and striking targets. Two

sources said the talks were in an advanced stage and involved more than 40 JF-17 jets.

“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,” Indonesian defence ministry spokesperson Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait told Reuters, saying the talks had not led to concrete decisions.

Why Is Indonesia Making A Deal With Pakistan?

The JF-17, jointly manufactured by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (58%) and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (42%), is marketed as a cost-effective, multi-role fighter with a unit cost between $25 million and $30 million. Pakistan is negotiating with Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Bangladesh for JF-17 sales.

A source told Reuters that Pakistan was discussing the sale of JF-17 Thunder jets, air defence systems, training for junior, mid-level, and senior Indonesian air force officials, and engineering staff. A major driving force for this deal is Jakarta’s push to replace its ageing air force fleet.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto was in Pakistan last month for a two-day visit for talks on improving bilateral ties, including defence. The country has put in several orders for jets, including 42 French Rafale jets worth $8.1 billion in 2022 and 48 KAAN fighter jets from Turkey in 2025. Jakarta has also considered buying China’s J-10 fighter jets and is in talks to purchase US-made F-15EX jets.

Pakistan is also eyeing a defence pact with Bangladesh that could include the Super Mushshak training jets and JF-17s, as relations are improving with Dhaka following Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in a student-led uprising in 2024.

However, some look at this plan with scepticism. Some experts argued that the revenue from production may not be sufficient to rescue the nation from its overwhelming debt, while other critics pointed to the heavy toll of the May 2025 military conflict with India, where Pakistan lost between six and nine fighter jets.