A JF-17 fighter jet attached to the Pakistan Air Force flies towards the designated airspace during an air-to-ground offensive operation drill conducted by two Chinese JH-7 fighter bombers and two Pakistani JF-17 fighter jets on Sept. 20, 2017, which is part of the "Shaheen VI " joint training exercise launched by the air forces of China and Pakistan on Sept. 8 and scheduled to conclude on Sept. 27, 2017. (Photo/eng.chinamil.com.cn)

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed on Wednesday that several countries were "actively" engaged in talks with Pakistan for its JF-17 fighter jets, Pakistani media the Dawn reported. A Chinese expert named the China-Pakistan co-developed aircraft's capabilities, which were demonstrated last year in real combat, as a reason behind the increasing international interests.

According to the Dawn report, Shehbaz said during a federal cabinet meeting that the demand for Pakistan's fighter jets had increased since Pakistan's victory in a war last year. The Dawn noted that it was ostensibly a reference to the four-day military conflict with India in May 2025.

"There are several countries that are actively engaged in talks with Pakistan on this, and this will boost our defense production and benefit our economy," Shehbaz was quoted in the report as saying.

Earlier, Pakistan's Defense Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj also told BBC Urdu that Pakistan is engaged in discussions with "multiple" countries for the sale of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, the Dawn noted. When enquired about whether China also received a share from the sale, Harraj was quoted as saying, "A lot of matters are discussed on the table. China is definitely included in them; it should be and it is their right."

According to the Dawn report, Bangladesh, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are among countries that are interested in the JF-17.

Wang Ya'nan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times that the JF-17 fighter jet has attracted more foreign interest, primarily due to its outstanding performance. The JF-17 is a top-level fourth-generation fighter jet that has kept receiving upgrades to its radar, weapons and communications systems, while maintaining a considerably low procurement cost, he noted.

Especially after the air clash between Pakistan and India in May 2025, in which they demonstrated their capabilities in actual combat, there was growing foreign interest in China-Pakistan co-developed weapons and equipment, Wang said.