China Dominates Pakistani Arms Imports, Providing 81%, Says SIPRI
Chinese weaponry constituted 81 percent of Pakistan 'Islamabad’s arms imports over the last half-decade, as the city acquires additional weaponry.' advanced systems Based on information from the Swedish research institute SIPRI, this partnership with a longstanding defense ally in South Asia has been ongoing.
This marked an increase of 7 percentage points compared to the preceding five-year span, reaching 74 percent in 2019 as reported by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. During this year, China supplied 74 percent of Pakistan’s imported weapons.
This development follows a significant effort in China over the past few years to enhance self-sufficiency within its defense sector, covering areas such as aircraft carriers and next-generation fighter jets. This initiative has concurrently led to an expansion in the variety of weaponry available for sale to its key allies.
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China's increasing military strength and stronger alliance with Pakistan have also led to Beijing enhancing its sway across South Asia. competition against the United States .
In the five-year span leading up to 2024, China accounted for 5.9 percent of global defense exports. A significant portion of these weapons were exported to Pakistan, which constituted 63 percent of China’s overall arm sales during this time, totaling $5.28 billion.
China's second-largest purchaser was Serbia with 6.8 percent, followed by Thailand at 4.6 percent.
During the same timeframe, Pakistan saw an increase of 61 percent in overall weapons acquisitions.
More notably, between 2020 and 2024, Islamabad acquired more sophisticated and varied equipment from China, including long-range surveillance drones and Type 054A missile-guided frigates, as recorded in the SIPRI arms transfers database.
"The evident readiness of China to provide or even discuss offering certain advanced weaponry to Pakistan indicates China’s confidence in Pakistan," stated Siemon Wezeman, a senior arms transfers researcher at SIPRI.
Since the 1990s, China has served as Pakistan's main source for military equipment. However, Pakistan's ongoing conflicts with India, particularly following several border clashes in 2016, led to an escalation in defense expenditures. This increased spending has further strengthened Pakistan’s ties with Beijing.
Beijing refrains from formal alliances, yet Wezeman indicated that China might be viewed as Pakistan’s sole genuine “ally,” relying on them exclusively when interacting with India.
Meanwhile, Pakistan serves a comparable function for Beijing and stands as "the sole country at present capable of providing China with a secure foothold on the Indian Ocean and close to the Middle East."
Last April, China provided the initial submarine from the Hangor II series to Pakistan as part of an agreement valued at approximately $5 billion — making it one of the highest-value military deals China has secured.
Based on data from the SIPRI database, several significant purchases made by Pakistan over the last five years encompass their inaugural surveillance vessel named Rizwan, over 600 VT-4 main battle tanks, and an additional 36 J-10CE fourth-plus generation fighter jets.
In 2022, the initial batch of multifunctional J-10CE fighter aircraft was delivered to Pakistan, enhancing their arsenal alongside their primary JF-17 models which form the core of their air force.
The fourth-generation JF-17 was collaboratively developed by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group as part of an initiative that began in 1999.
The Block III variant of the JF-17, equipped with an active electronically scanned array radar, entered service in 2023.
Song Zhongping, a military analyst and ex-instructor from the People's Liberation Army, stated that China could potentially export its fifth-generation fighter jet, the J-35, "should Pakistan express such a request."
He stated that as India was contemplating acquiring either the American F-35 or Russian Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets for its air force, Pakistan would probably be exploring similar possibilities.
Between 2020 and 2024, China supplied various air defense missile systems to Pakistan as reported by SIPRI. These deliveries encompassed a long-range HQ-9 system equipped with approximately 70 missiles, roughly 200 medium-range LY-80s, and close to 890 short-range portable FN-6 missiles.
During this time, Pakistan received four Type 054A frigates, two Azmat corvettes, and ten CH-4A drones from China as well.
Wenzeman noted that the United States was once a significant supplier of weapons to Pakistan but began restricting deliveries because it grew unhappy with Pakistan's inadequate actions against the Taliban, concerns over Pakistan's nuclear program, and generally insufficient progress toward democratic development.
He stated that as China and Pakistan grew more aligned, distinct factions were forming in Asia: one supporting China and another opposing it, which encompasses the United States and India. He further noted that weapons transfers contributed significantly to this division.
"Wenzemen cautioned that India and Pakistan remain key players in the formation of these alliances, serving as major flashpoints in the area that could ignite and involve the newly formed groups in a conflict." He further emphasized that robust arms control and crisis management systems were crucial, stating they were of "paramount importance" to avoid such an escalation.
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The article initially appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), which serves as the premier source for news coverage of China and Asia.
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