Even as Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif became the latest leader from the country to make the assertion that many countries are showing interest in JF-17 exports, a Chinese military expert claimed that the "outstanding performance" of the single-engine lightweight combat jet, developed jointly by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of China and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), has made the jet attractive to prospective buyers.
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On Wednesday, Pakistan PM Sharif said the demand for Pakistani fighter jets has increased, and many countries are "actively engaged with us to acquire the jets."
While the prime minister did not specifically name the aircraft, there have been local media reports that claimed that JF-17 Thunder fighter jets were part of talks with countries like Sudan, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Indonesia, and Bangladesh.
Shehbaz's remarks came a day after Minister for Defence Production Raza Hayat Haraj confirmed in an interview with BBC Urdu that several countries were interested in buying JF-17 Thunder.
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Haraj said China is on board whenever Pakistan signs such a deal with any country.
A news report in Global Times quoting Wang Ya'nan, chief editor of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, said the JF-17 fighter jet managed to attract much foreign interest, mainly due to its "outstanding performance."
He claimed that it is a top-level fourth-generation fighter jet that has been regularly upgrading its radar, weapons, and communications systems even as it maintans considerably low procurement cost.
He said following the air clash between Pakistan and India in May 2025, where the JF-17 fighter jets showcased their capabilities in actual combat, foreign interest in China-Pakistan co-developed weapons and equipment increased.
