Pakistan is seeking to purchase 80 F-16V Block 70 fighter jets and 400 AIM-120D AMRAAM missiles from the United States, specifically requesting advanced air defence systems. This request follows a public appeal from a Pakistani delegation in Washington, according to Business Today. The request is framed as a response to perceived threats from India, with Pakistan’s Federal Minister Musadik Malik stating that without these systems, Pakistan would have been “in rubbles” after an alleged Indian air assault.
Despite the propaganda claims of Pakistan’s Chinese-made J-10C downing Indian aircraft, Pakistan concluded that the actual victory was due to Saab 2000 AWACS and Lockheed Martin’s F-16C Fighting Falcon. Pakistan Air Force’s internal review concluded that Chinese J-35A, KJ500 AWACS and J-10C do not guarantee victory.
Pakistan wins the media narrative and victory at home, but the only American weapons can guarantee the actual victory against the Indian Rafale and the future procurement of European fighter jets, including Saab Gripen or Eurofighter Typhoon. India will undoubtedly conduct an assessment of its air combat capability, and the Rafale or AMCA do not provide sufficient opportunities for India to gain air superiority against Pakistan.
Pakistan’s request highlights a shift in Pakistan’s stance, as it contrasts with previous domestic claims of victory and publicly admits a need for advanced weaponry from the US. The specific systems being sought are not detailed in the initial reports; however, the context suggests a focus on air defence capabilities to counter potential Indian attacks.
Cornered by an overwhelming Indian air assault, a 13-member Pakistani delegation in Washington is now publicly pleading for advanced American weaponry. Pakistan’s Federal Minister Musadik Malik urged the US to sell them air defence systems and fighter jets — an extraordinary admission that starkly contrasts with Islamabad’s domestic claims of victory.
In a video widely circulated online, Malik said, “India came at us with 80 planes carrying 400 missiles, some of which are capable of carrying nuclear warheads. You have seen what would have happened to us. We would have been in rubble if we had no air defence systems. The technology that India was deploying is far advanced. So, we say bring it on man, give those technologies to us we will buy them from you.”
Malik is part of the team led by Pakistan People’s Party Chairman and former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, currently in Washington to hold talks with American officials and lawmakers.
His statement, however, flies in the face of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s narrative at home. While Malik was asking for help, Sharif’s government continued to frame the latest conflict with India as a Pakistani triumph — claiming India was forced into a ceasefire and that Pakistan had emerged victorious. Islamabad even promoted Army Chief Syed Asim Munir to the rank of Field Marshal to commemorate the supposed win.
Sharif had earlier confirmed Indian strikes on Pakistani soil, including Rawalpindi, during the border escalation. “India launched its BrahMos missile, hitting Pakistan’s various provinces, including the airport in Rawalpindi,” he admitted. In a separate speech at the Pakistan Monument in Islamabad, he added that Indian missiles had struck Nur Khan Airbase and other vital sites.
The Pakistani team’s urgent pitch in Washington comes shortly after India dispatched its own delegation to the US to present evidence on Pakistan’s terror infrastructure and brief officials on recent attacks, including ‘Operation Sindoor’ and the Pahalgam terror strike that killed 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian side is led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
© 2025, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
