what talks ? PAF has been looking into various planes over the years including Rafales , J10s but it doesn't mean we are buying those planes. You post comments like you know everything or have some credible inside sources is absolute farce and that is precisely why people here doesn't believe you. Even this topic is based on false information since it is coming out from your mouth at first place.
Pakistan in talks to buy Russian air defence systems: Dastgir
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MOSCOW - Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan confirmed to Russian news website Sputnik that Islamabad was in talks with Moscow on the issue of purchasing air defence systems, adding that Pakistan was interested in such weapons.
“Air defence system is a different kind of weapon we are interested. We are very much interested in a very wide range of the Russian weapons technology. We are in negotiations [on air defence systems] and once we conclude negotiations, we will be able to announce them,” Dastgir said in an interview on Friday.
Pakistan and Russia may reach an agreement on Islamabad purchasing Russian Su-35 jets “in the next few years,” the talks on the issue are in their early stages, the minister told Sputnik.
Last February, a high-ranking military official in Pakistan told Sputnik that Islamabad had no plans to buy the Su-35.
“Concerning fighter aircraft Su-35: maybe in the next few years we will be able to reach that point, we are in the beginning of negotiations now,” the minister said answering a question.
Pakistan is interested in acquiring Russian T-90 tanks as a long-term commitment instead of a single purchase, he said. “We are interested in tanks T-90 and it is not going to be a one-time purchase but it is going to be a long-term commitment,” he added.
Islamabad looks forward to expanding defence cooperation with Russia in all areas, including military training, procuring equipment and sharing intelligence, Dastgir said. “In the defence field, we signed a historical unprecedented Pakistan-Russia defence agreement in 2014. As a result, we have been able to conduct joint exercises, Pakistan has purchased Russian helicopters Mi-35 and now we are looking at much wider range of defence cooperation. In terms of training, Pakistani officers are coming to Russia and Russian officers are going to the Pakistani facilities for training. We are also now discussing a wider range of military exercises, we are looking at a wider range of military equipment and intelligence sharing,” he said.
The official commended the current level of defence industry cooperation, noting that in the future Islamabad hopes to expand the variety of military equipment sold by Russia to Pakistan. “We are looking towards a great future in certain areas, in which Russia has excellent expertise, such as the tanks and air defence systems,” he noted.
Even though Pakistan and Russia had differences in the past on the Afghan crisis, the countries have now achieved mutual understanding on regional and international issues, according to the minister.
To a question, the minister said both Islamabad and Moscow are interested in a stable and democratic Afghanistan as it will positively contribute to security in Central Asia. “We respect Afghanistan’s sovereignty. Stability in Afghanistan is important for Pakistan to be able to develop its own prosperous future, to access to the Russian market, for example, by land route. Democratic and stable Afghanistan is in deep interest of both Russia and Pakistan,” he said.
“We are supporting the Russian regional approach to Afghanistan and we hope that not only Russia but also China, Iran and of course the United States can sit together at the table and devise a way in which we can achieve internal peace and reconciliation within Afghanistan,” he added.
“Of course we have a history of Afghan war in which we have been on the opposite sides but now as a second decade of the 21st century ends, we will be able to look at world realities with a different eye and I am delighted to say that Pakistan and Russia are largely in agreement on major international issues like Afghanistan, like fighting drug trafficking, situation in the Middle East. We are now looking at almost all aspects of defence and there is excellent goodwill between our leadership,” he underlined.
The official went on to say that Islamabad is grateful to Russia for supporting its accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
DASTGIR HOLDS TALKS IN MOSCOW
Staff Reporter from Islamabad adds: Pakistan and Russia on Friday agreed to further enhance cooperation in diverse fields including trade, energy, defence, agriculture and information technology. The consensus to this effect was reached at a meeting between Defence Minister Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan with Russian Minister for Industry and Trade Denis Manturov in Moscow on Friday.
The defence minister underscored that Pakistan attached great importance to its relations with Russia. During the meeting, the Defence Minister underlined that relations between two countries have improved substantively since 2013.
He also noted that bilateral trade was growing and had great potential to rise further.
Both sides reiterated their commitment to implement the Inter-Governmental Agreement on North-South Gas Pipeline Project signed in Islamabad in October 2015. Ambassador of Pakistan to the Russian Federation Khalilullah Qazi was also present in the meeting.
https://nation.com.pk/07-Apr-2018/p...an-air-defence-systems-dastgir?show=756?rct=j
