China will sell 48 high-end military drones to Pakistan in what a military observer said will be the largest deal of its kind between the two countries, official media in Beijing reported today. The cost of the deal was not revealed. Wing Loong II, a high-end reconnaissance, strike and multi-role endurance unmanned aircraft system, is manufactured by Chengdu Aircraft Industrial (Group) Company. The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) will also be jointly manufactured, China’s state-run Global Times reported.
China, an “all-weather ally” of Islamabad, is the largest supplier of weapon system to the Pakistan Army. Both the countries also jointly manufacture JF-Thunder a single engine multi-role combat aircraft. The announcement by China to permit the sale of high-end military drones comes in the immediate backdrop of India’s move to acquire the sophisticated S-400 missile defence systems from Russia. The deal was clinched during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi last week.