KARACHI: Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu met a high-level Bangladeshi defense delegation on Tuesday to discuss strengthening air force cooperation and the potential sale of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, the military’s media wing said.
Pakistan jointly developed the multi-role JF-17 Thunder with China, and the aircraft has served as the backbone of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) over the past decade, replacing aging legacy platforms.
Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan led the delegation and held talks with Sidhu at Air Headquarters in Islamabad, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The two sides focused on enhancing operational cooperation and institutional synergy, with particular emphasis on training, capacity building, and collaboration in aerospace advancements, the ISPR said.
The officials also held detailed discussions on Bangladesh’s potential procurement of JF-17 Thunder aircraft, the statement added.
Sidhu reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to supporting the BAF through a comprehensive training framework, covering basic, advanced, and specialized courses across PAF institutions. He also assured fast-tracked delivery of Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, along with a complete training and long-term support ecosystem, the ISPR said.
Pakistan Aeronautical Complex manufactures the Super Mushshak, a lightweight two- to three-seat, single-engine aircraft capable of operating from short and unprepared airstrips.
Khan expressed interest in benefiting from the PAF’s operational expertise and requested assistance in maintaining Bangladesh’s aging fleet, the ISPR said. He also discussed integrating air defense radar systems between the two countries to improve air surveillance.
During the visit, the Bangladeshi delegation toured key PAF facilities, including the National ISR and Integrated Air Operations Center, PAF Cyber Command, and the National Aerospace Science and Technology Park, the ISPR said.
The visit highlighted the strong historical ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh and demonstrated a shared resolve to deepen defense cooperation and build a long-term strategic partnership, the statement said.
CHIEF OF THE AIR STAFF BANGLADESH AIR FORCE CALLS ON AIR CHIEF pic.twitter.com/Zjsu1LTX4l
— DGPR (AIR FORCE) (@DGPR_PAF) January 6, 2026
The JF-17 fighter jet has seen extensive operational use in recent years and has performed air-to-air and air-to-ground missions across multiple theaters. The PAF used the aircraft in counterterrorism operations in North Waziristan in 2014 and 2017, shot down an Iranian drone near the southwestern Balochistan border in 2017, and deployed it during Operation Swift Retort in the 2019 aerial standoff with India.
Pakistan also deployed the JF-17 in its 2024 cross-border strikes inside Iran and Afghanistan targeting militant groups and used the aircraft again in combat roles during the May 2025 conflict with India. Pakistan claimed it downed six Indian fighter jets during the conflict, a claim New Delhi rejected.
In November last year, Pakistan’s military announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with a “friendly country” to supply JF-17 Thunder aircraft at the Dubai Airshow 2025.
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The meeting came as Pakistan moved closer to Bangladesh amid Dhaka’s increasingly strained relations with India. Ties between India and Bangladesh have remained tense since the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024.
Hasina fled to India following violent student-led protests in 2024, and New Delhi has so far declined Bangladesh’s request to extradite the former premier.
