ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s air force is promoting its JF-17 fighter jet and Super Mushshak military training aircraft at a major defense exhibition in Saudi Arabia, according to an official statement on Tuesday, as Islamabad intensifies efforts to expand arms exports following heightened regional tensions with India last year.
The exhibition comes as Pakistan leans on defense diplomacy to market the JF-17 to foreign buyers, pitching the jet as a cost-effective, combat-ready alternative for countries in the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa.
Interest in the aircraft has grown since a brief but sharp military confrontation with India in May last year, which Pakistani officials have cited as evidence that the fighter jet is combat-tested.
“Pakistan Air Force contingent is participating in the World Defense Show — 2026 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, featuring its cutting-edge JF-17 Thunder Block-III Multi-role fighter jet and the highly acclaimed Super Mushshak basic trainer aircraft,” the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations(ISPR), said in a statement.
“World Defense Show 2026 serves as a premier global platform for defense and security,” it added. “PAF’s participation at WDS-2026 reinforces Pakistan’s position as an emerging hub of aerospace innovation, operational competence and reliable defense solutions.”
Pakistan has been seeking to convert defense exhibitions into export opportunities, particularly for the JF-17 — jointly developed with China — and the Super Mushshak trainer, which has already been inducted by several foreign air forces.
ISPR said PAF’s presence at the exhibition in Riyadh reflects its leadership’s vision of fostering defense cooperation, promoting defense exports and strengthening strategic partnerships with friendly nations.
“The exhibition provides an opportunity for international delegations, defense officials and military industry leaders to engage with PAF representatives and explore avenues for collaboration, training and technology transfer,” it added.
The event in Riyadh comes amid closer security ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
During Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to the Kingdom in September, the two countries signed a joint defense pact pledging that aggression against one would be treated as an attack on both.
The accord was widely viewed as a step to formalize long-standing military cooperation into a binding security commitment aimed at strengthening joint deterrence in an increasingly volatile region.
