Pakistan Faces Crunch as Demand for China-Developed Jets Surges

Pakistan says it has fielded requests for its JF-17 fighter from five countries in recent months — a surge of interest that could overwhelm its capacity to jointly produce the jet with China.

In the past month, Iraq, Bangladesh and Indonesia have expressed interest in acquiring the JF-17 Thunder, according to Pakistan’s Armed Forces. Saudi Arabia and Libya are also exploring the aircraft, Reuters reported separately, after Pakistan hailed the performance of its Chinese-made jets during its conflict with India in May 2025.