The on-going visit of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) chief, Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, to Sri Lanka is likely to revive Islamabad’s bid to sell F-17 Thunder fighter aircraft – an earlier attempt having been thwarted by India, the New Indian Express reported.
Announcing ACM Aman’s visit, a Pakistan High Commission press release said that the visit will provide both sides an opportunity to review ongoing cooperation and collaboration, and to discuss ways and means to “enhance continued cooperation between the two countries.”
“Enhancement” of cooperation could well mean Sri Lanka’s purchasing F-17s from Pakistan. A serious attempt was made in late 2015 and early 2016 to sell the Sino-Pak jointly produced aircraft to Sri Lanka in a US$ 400 million deal financed by Pakistan. But the attempt failed because India stood in the way as it considered Sri Lanka to be within its areas of influence in strategic terms.
-NIE
-Agencies
