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JF-17 deal to go ahead
The Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal by President Maithripala Sirisena to purchase new fighter aircraft and associated weapons for the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF).
Cabinet spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said, the government will call for expressions of interest for the purchase of around 8-12 fighter jets.The fighter aircraft of the SLAF have been aging and it is important to upgrade the equipment to maintain security and be prepared for any unexpected threat, he explained.
The Cabinet approved a proposal by President Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Defence, to obtain expressions of interest from interested aircraft manufacturers, assistant manufacturers, and authorized government agents. The deal will be on a government to government basis.
The announcement came a day after Pakistani Air Force Commander Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman who was in the country for a brief official visit leaving, thus prompting speculations whether pressure mounted from Pakistan’s end to finalize the JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft deal which Pakistan is producing in collaboration with China.
This columnist in the 6 December 2015 column revealed that the intended plan to purchase fighter jets from Pakistan has come under fire from India as the latter vehemently opposed the move.
Ceylon Today on its 10 July 2016 edition revealed that Sri Lanka will be shortly concluding the purchase deal with Pakistan for the supply of 10 JF -17 Thunder Multi-role Fighter Jets, with delivery expected in early 2017.
Pakistan has stationed Brigadier Muhammad Bashir in Colombo to work out the details of the deal. That will include financial arrangements.
The deal to purchase this stunning new multi-role fighter from the Pakistan Air Force was held in abeyance under mounting pressure from the highest levels in the Indian Government.
When the deal was first mooted it was expected to be inked in Colombo during Pakistani Premier Nawaz Shariff’s visit in early January this year. The deal included the sale of 10 JF -17 s, each priced at around US$ 35million through a special Line of Credit (LoC). But Shariff’s visit ended with eight Pakistan-Sri Lanka agreements being signed in Colombo during the visit. None were related to defence cooperation or to the JF-17 deal.
SLAF Commander Gagan Bulathsinhala visited Pakistan last year for a reality check on the aircraft at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) in Kamra, where the PAC and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) co-manufacture the fighters.
A highly placed source in the diplomatic corps said India came out strongly against the deal with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) to purchase 10 JF-17 combat aircraft.
Indian National Security Adviser, Ajit Doval, had personally expressed India’s concerns in connection with the deal to President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Doval had personally telephoned President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe and told them outright that New Delhi was against the deal, warning that Sri Lanka will have to face serious repercussions if the deal was sealed with Pakistan.
Sri Lanka made a compromise offer to purchase three naval ships from India as suasion for India to desist from objecting to the deal with Pakistan. This, however, was not favoured by India, and New Delhi maintained the pressure instead.
The Sri Lankan Defence Ministry then asked India for 10 JF-17 aircraft or a similar fighter jet. India came up with a counter deal offering the SL Government a credit line to purchase alternative combat aircraft subject to the condition that Sri Lanka could buy the aircraft from any country other than Pakistan.
Pakistan however maintained a low profile and renewed their offer stating that they would give one 10 F-7 combat craft free if Sri Lanka makes an outright purchase on the initial deal.
The finalization of the deal was gradually put off following the low key visit of Indian Foreign Secretary
Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to Colombo ahead of the Pakistan Premier’s visit in January 2016.
The deal was apparently opened when former Air Force Commander Jayalath Weerakkody was serving as the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Pakistan.
However, India is also likely to bid for the supply with India offering indigenously made Tejas Light Combat Aircraft."
Apparently, rumors are that India even offered a credit line for Korean T-50. But the source is from PAF, so take it with a grain of salt.