Azerbaijan has announced its intention to acquire Pakistani JF-17 Thunder fighter jets. The military attaché of Azerbaijan in Pakistan stated that this is one of the key issues on the bilateral agenda.
The JF-17 is a joint venture between China and Pakistan, valued at $20-25 million. Baku has stated this intention several times, but no agreement has been signed yet. According to Elya Harutyunyan, an expert on Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan seeks to deepen military cooperation with Pakistan.
“In 2019, Azerbaijan bought a Super Mushshak from Pakistan. From 2021 we notice that it is deepening even more,” says Elya Harutyunyan, expert on Azerbaijan.
After the 44-day war, several military exercises were held in Azerbaijan, in which the Pakistani armed forces, including special forces, took part. In recent years, Islamabad has begun to work more closely with Baku, says Elya Harutyunyan. The expert, who has been studying Baku-Islamabad relations for a long time, notes that Pakistan has always made pro-Azerbaijani statements, regardless of the circumstances.
“The bilateral relations have developed in an anti-Armenian direction over the past 30 years. Anti-Armenianism has been one of the pillars of their cooperation,” Elya Harutyunyan says.
Pakistan has not officially recognized Armenia’s independence, and during the 44-day war was one of the few countries that directly supported Azerbaijan. A new military alliance is being formed in the region: Turkey-Azerbaijan-Pakistan. And it poses a certain danger for Armenia, notes Elya Harutyunyan.
“Armenia must take steps to find a response to the Azerbaijan-Pakistan alliance,” Elya Harutyunyan says.
Yerevan and New Delhi have intensified political contacts in recent months. In October, for the first time in history, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of India arrived in Armenia.
