Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir rushes to pay obeisance to Turkish Defence Minister. Was KAAN fighter jet on agenda?

Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, who accompanied Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on his Turkey visit, held a meeting with Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler in Istanbul. The meeting was also attended by Türkiye’s Land Forces Commander, General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu.

 

While Sharif's meeting with Turkish leadership, including the upcoming session with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was "aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation" and "thanking Turkiye for its support", there was ambiguity about why Munir met Guler. 

 

While Pakistani media didn't elaborate much on Munir's meetings, a report in Turkish media Turkiye Today said the meeting focused "on mutual defence cooperation and military relations between the two countries." Though Turkey denied it ever armed Pakistan against India, stating such reports were just disinformation, Ankara and Islamabad have stepped up defence cooperation, including the creation of a joint factory dedicated to the production of the KAAN fighter jet. 

 

Turkey is aiming to use the India-Pakistan conflict to push its fighter jet, with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu claiming that Ankara "received one phone call after another" after the India-Pakistan war asking about Kaan aircraft. "Although we are still in the development phase, KAAN is attracting the interest of many countries, especially some Asia-Pacific countries," said Demiroğlu.

 

The meeting could also be a way to push KAAN aircraft, which Turkey aims to export to other countries including its military partners, to Pakistan. Turkey will also use the opportunity to increase its low-cost fighter jet production, a significant advantage for its defence and export policies. Pakistan aims to modernise its forces with the introduction of KAAN aircraft.

 

At present, Turkey is now Pakistan's second-largest arms supplier, after China.  It is estimated that 10% of Turkey's total arms exports go to Pakistan over the last five years.  During Operation Sindoor, Pakistan deployed Turkish-manufactured Songar armed drone systems which were downed by India’s air defense systems.  

Middle East