Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin “are unanimous in strengthening multi-polarity and multilateralism in the rapidly changing world”.
The Pakistani air force’s Sherdils Aerobatic Team first announced on Sunday the state-run Pakistan Aeronautical Complex company and China’s government-owned Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group would “jointly produce 48 Wing Loong II UCAV” – a type of advanced military drone.
The official mouthpiece of the Chinese regime, The Global Times, confirmed the news of the drone deal between China and Pakistan, which has been described as the most significant arms deal of its kind to date.
The state-run newspaper cited Chinese military analyst Song Zhongping as saying the deal – if confirmed – would be China’s largest drone export to date.
China Military Online, the official online portal of the Chinese military, also featured the deal in an indication it is due to go ahead.
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The Wing Loong II UCAV is a reconnaissance and strike multirole endurance drone, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
February 2017 was the maiden flight of the drone, which had been purchased as part of China’s biggest overseas drone contract.
The Wing Loong II UCAV is reportedly more than 8 metres long – 4 metres tall, with a total wingspan of more than 18 metres.
The weapon can reach altitudes of 5.6 miles and speeds of roughly 211 miles per hour.
UK-based security analysis group Jane’s 360 cited satellite imagery captured in November 2017 by the Centre for the Study of the Drone at Bard College, saying it showed what appeared to be a Wing Loong I – the precursor to the Wing Loong II – at a hangar in the M.M. Alam air base in the Mianwali district of Pakistan’s Punjab province.
The announcement on Sunday did not provide details of the Wing Loon II purchase.
But Indian media quickly referred to the timing of the deal just days after India signed a $5billion (£3.8million) arms deal with Russia.
The deal was to acquire Russia’s advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile system.
The Pakistanis and the Indians have long traded hostilities since the two nations were split by British authorities in 1947.
At least three wars have been waged since the acrimonious divide as well as continuing border clashes over the contested Kashmir region.
During the majority of the Cold War, their alliances were divided along another major regional rift—the Sino-Soviet split.
In recent years, China and Russia have attempted to broaden their influence in Asia as Chinese President Xi-Jinping invests in deepened defence cooperation with Pakistan.