The JF-17 Thunder fighter jets of Pakistan has drawn a very strong interest at the World Defense Exhibition in Riyadh, claims the Pakistan’s state broadcaster PTV in a statement released on Sunday. Islamabad is vehemently promoting its star aircraft to international buyers at one of the region’s largest defense industry events.
The exhibition brings together defense officials, manufacturers and military delegations from dozens of countries, offering a platform for arms exporters to showcase equipment and pursue new contracts amid heightened global and regional security concerns. Saudi Arabia is positioning Riyadh as a regional hub for defense and aerospace exhibitions, using these platforms to further bolster partnership and attract international manufacturers as part of the broader diversification efforts.
Last year, Islamabad had signed a mutual defense pact with Riyadh and is reportedly discussing another defense agreement involving Saudi Arabia and Turkey, although the details of those the upcoming fact has not been made public. Islamabad is already in the talks with at least 13 countries, six to eight of which are in an advanced stage for signing deals involving JF-17 jets, which have been jointly produced by Pakistan and China, along with its trainer aircraft, drones and weapon systems, according to the accumulative media reports in the recent weeks.
وزیرِ دفاع پاکستان، خواجہ محمد آصف نے ریاض میں منعقدہ ورلڈ ڈیفنس شو کے موقع پر سعودی عرب کے وزیرِ دفاع شہزادہ خالد بن سلطان سے ملاقات۔ pic.twitter.com/2zp8dHpNyl
— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) February 8, 2026
The interest of the international community in JF-17 has spiked following its operational visibility during the Pakistan-India military conflict confrontation in May 2025. Pakistan claims that it has used JF-17 Thunder jets to down six, five to six Indian jets. Pakistani officials and defense analysts claims JF-17 reinforces the air aircraft’s combat credibility. Islamabad is branding JF-17 as a cost-effective, multi-role combat aircraft for countries seeking alternatives to high-end Western fighter jets. The aircraft is already in service with several foreign air forces and is pivotal in Islamabad’s defense export strategy.
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Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Indonesia, Morocco, Ethiopia, Nigeria and as well as the government leading the eastern Libya under Khalifa bin Haftar are in discussions with Pakistan on acquiring JF-17 jets. Pakistan has already acknowledged talks with Bangladesh and Iran on JF-17 and other weapons. Almost all the potential buyers are Muslim-majority nations like Pakistan. Many are from Muslim Middle East, where Pakistan has historically been a security provider. Moreover, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also met his Saudi counterpart Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the sidelines of the event.
