ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s expanding defense industry and growing partnerships with friendly nations positioned the fifth most populated nation as an emerging supplier of advanced military equipment, including modern fighter jets, to several countries. The country planned Rs 1.54 billion defense deal with Somalia, which has been thrown into uncertainty after Saudi Arabia’s alleged objections.
The defence agreement between Pakistan and Sudan reportedly been pushed into uncertainty after Saudi Arabia abruptly withdrew its support and raised strong objections, bringing a high-stakes military deal to a sudden standstill.
The deal including advanced weapons systems and fighter jets, was moving toward completion but is now effectively frozen amid escalating geopolitical friction and deepening instability across the Red Sea region.
Saudi Arabia not only opposed the arrangement but also refused to extend the financial backing that was expected to support the deal. That move reportedly forced Islamabad to halt progress on the agreement. Despite the seriousness of the development, there has been no official confirmation from Saudi authorities, while both the Sudanese Armed Forces and Pakistan’s military have remained silent.
The timing of the collapse adds further weight to an already volatile situation in Sudan, where a brutal conflict between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to devastate the country. The war has triggered widespread destruction, deepened humanitarian suffering, and turned Sudan into one of the most dangerous flashpoints in Africa, with fears growing that prolonged conflict could lead to further fragmentation.
The arms deal itself had reportedly reached its final stages in January and was originally brokered with Saudi mediation. The agreement was also part of a broader push in Pakistan’s defense exports, which have gained renewed attention following regional tensions and recent military developments.
For the unversed, Islamabad inked Defence Pact with Saudi Arabia in 2025 to deepen military ties between the two nations. The pact includes mutual defense clause under which an attack on one country could be treated as an attack on both. It also expands cooperation in joint military training, intelligence sharing, defense planning, and coordinated security operations.
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